UN chief Antonio Guterres is following the situation in Kashmir &quot;closely&quot; and encourages a dialogue between India and Pakistan to settle any outstanding differences, his spokesperson said.&nbsp;

Spokesman for Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric made the comment while responding to a question on the tensions between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.

&quot;Obviously, we are following the situation there as closely, as we always do, and we would encourage dialogue between the parties to settle any outstanding differences,&quot;&nbsp;Dujarric told reporters here yesterday at his daily briefing.

On whether the Secretary General has talked with the prime ministers of Pakistan or India, Dujarric said there is &quot;nothing to report&quot; on that currently.

In the past, Dujarric, when asked at press briefings about the Secretary General&#39;s response to the situation in Kashmir, has repeatedly said that Guterres follows the situation in the region closely.

The UN chief reiterated his call for India and Pakistan to find a peaceful solution through engagement and dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue.&nbsp;

'Obviously, we are following the situation there as closely, as we always do, and we would encourage dialogue between the parties to settle any outstanding differences,' the spokesperson said

UN chief Antonio Guterres is following the situation in Kashmir "closely" and encourages a dialogue between India and Pakistan to settle any outstanding differences, his spokesperson said. Spokesman for Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric made the comment while responding to a question on the tensions between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue. "Obviously, we are following the situation there as closely, as we always do, and we would encourage dialogue between the parties to settle any outstanding differences," Dujarric told reporters here yesterday at his daily briefing. On whether the Secretary General has talked with the prime ministers of Pakistan or India, Dujarric said there is "nothing to report" on that currently. In the past, Dujarric, when asked at press briefings about the Secretary General's response to the situation in Kashmir, has repeatedly said that Guterres follows the situation in the region closely. The UN chief reiterated his call for India and Pakistan to find a peaceful solution through engagement and dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue.

UN Secretary General following Kashmir 'closely', encourages dialogue between India, Pakistan: Spokesperson

Governments should focus on &quot;greener&quot; policies to improve the supply and quality of water as climate change and a growing global population threaten the water security of billions, the United Nations said today.

In its 2018 World Water Development Report, the UN calculated that an estimated 3.6 billion people -- nearly half the global population -- live in areas where water can be scarce at least one month per year.

And this number could rise to 5.7 billion by 2050, the report warned.

&quot;If we do nothing, some five billion people will be living in areas with poor access to water by 2050,&quot; said UNESCO Director General, Audrey Azoulay, at the presentation of the report in Brasilia.

&quot;This report proposes solutions that are based on nature to manage water better. This is a major task all of us need to accomplish together responsibly so as to avoid water-related conflicts,&quot; she said.

Global water use has increased by a factor of six over the past century &quot;and continues to grow steadily at a rate of about one percent per year,&quot; the report said.

And use is expected to rise significantly due to population growth, economic development and changing consumption patterns, among other factors.

&quot;The vast majority of the growing demand for water will occur in countries with developing or emerging economies,&quot; the report said.

At the same time, the global water cycle was intensifying due to climate change, &quot;with wetter regions generally becoming wetter and drier regions becoming even drier.&quot; - &#39;Ecosystem-friendly&#39; -

So-called &quot;grey&quot; or man-made water infrastructure -- such as reservoirs, irrigation canals and treatment plants -- were no longer sufficient to meet these challenges, said the report&#39;s editor-in-chief, Richard Connor.

There is increasingly limited room to build more reservoirs because of silting, environmental concerns and restrictions, as well as the fact that in many developed countries the most cost-effective and viable sites had already been used, the UN argued.

&quot;In many cases, more ecosystem-friendly forms of water storage, such as natural wetlands, improvements in soil moisture and more efficient recharge of groundwater, could be more sustainable and cost-effective than traditional grey infrastructure such as dams.&quot;

&quot;Nature plays a unique and fundamental role in regulating the different functions of the water cycle,&quot; Connor said.

Nature-based solutions &quot;can act as regulator, cleaner and water supplier&quot;.

The report said that green solutions were already showing great potential.

New York, for example, has protected the three largest watersheds that supply water to the city since the late 1990s through forest preservation programmes and paying farmers to take on environmentally friendly practices.

&quot;Disposing of the largest unfiltered water supply in the US, the city now saves more than $300 million (245 million euros) yearly on water sea treatment and maintenance costs,&quot; the UN said.

Another example was China&#39;s &quot;Sponge City&quot; project to improve water availability.

By 2020, China plans to build 16 pilot projects across the country with the aim of recycling 70 percent of rainwater through greater soil permeation, retention and storage, water purification and the restoration of adjacent wetlands.

&quot;These solutions are cost-effective&quot; and not more expensive than traditional systems, said Connor.

The UN pointed to estimates that agricultural production could be increased by about 20 percent worldwide if greener water management practices were used.

In addition to improving water availability and quality, &quot;it is possible to increase agricultural production per hectare with better water management&quot; and thus feed more people, said Stefan Uhlenbrook, programme coordinator at the UN World Water Assessment Forum.

&quot;Green&quot; infrastructure also helps fight erosion, drought and flood risks while boosting soil quality and vegetation.

And indigenous peoples could be involved in implementation, something which was not the case in &quot;grey&quot; infrastructure,&quot; the report said.

At the moment, however, only &quot;marginal&quot; use was made of such nature-based solutions.

&quot;Accurate figures are not available&quot;, but investments in these techniques &quot;appear to be less than one percent... Of total investment in infrastructure and water resource management,&quot; according to the report.

They &quot;are often perceived as less effective&quot; because they are less visible, Connor said.

The UN calculated that an estimated 3.6 billion people live in areas where water can be scarce at least one month per year

Governments should focus on "greener" policies to improve the supply and quality of water as climate change and a growing global population threaten the water security of billions, the United Nations said today. In its 2018 World Water Development Report, the UN calculated that an estimated 3.6 billion people -- nearly half the global population -- live in areas where water can be scarce at least one month per year. And this number could rise to 5.7 billion by 2050, the report warned. "If we do nothing, some five billion people will be living in areas with poor access to water by 2050," said UNESCO Director General, Audrey Azoulay, at the presentation of the report in Brasilia. "This report proposes solutions that are based on nature to manage water better. This is a major task all of us need to accomplish together responsibly so as to avoid water-related conflicts," she said. Global water use has increased by a factor of six over the past century "and continues to grow steadily at a rate of about one percent per year," the report said. And use is expected to rise significantly due to population growth, economic development and changing consumption patterns, among other factors. "The vast majority of the growing demand for water will occur in countries with developing or emerging economies," the report said. At the same time, the global water cycle was intensifying due to climate change, "with wetter regions generally becoming wetter and drier regions becoming even drier." - 'Ecosystem-friendly' - So-called "grey" or man-made water infrastructure -- such as reservoirs, irrigation canals and treatment plants -- were no longer sufficient to meet these challenges, said the report's editor-in-chief, Richard Connor. There is increasingly limited room to build more reservoirs because of silting, environmental concerns and restrictions, as well as the fact that in many developed countries the most cost-effective and viable sites had already been used, the UN argued. "In many cases, more ecosystem-friendly forms of water storage, such as natural wetlands, improvements in soil moisture and more efficient recharge of groundwater, could be more sustainable and cost-effective than traditional grey infrastructure such as dams." "Nature plays a unique and fundamental role in regulating the different functions of the water cycle," Connor said. Nature-based solutions "can act as regulator, cleaner and water supplier". The report said that green solutions were already showing great potential. New York, for example, has protected the three largest watersheds that supply water to the city since the late 1990s through forest preservation programmes and paying farmers to take on environmentally friendly practices. "Disposing of the largest unfiltered water supply in the US, the city now saves more than $300 million (245 million euros) yearly on water sea treatment and maintenance costs," the UN said. Another example was China's "Sponge City" project to improve water availability. By 2020, China plans to build 16 pilot projects across the country with the aim of recycling 70 percent of rainwater through greater soil permeation, retention and storage, water purification and the restoration of adjacent wetlands. "These solutions are cost-effective" and not more expensive than traditional systems, said Connor. The UN pointed to estimates that agricultural production could be increased by about 20 percent worldwide if greener water management practices were used. In addition to improving water availability and quality, "it is possible to increase agricultural production per hectare with better water management" and thus feed more people, said Stefan Uhlenbrook, programme coordinator at the UN World Water Assessment Forum. "Green" infrastructure also helps fight erosion, drought and flood risks while boosting soil quality and vegetation. And indigenous peoples could be involved in implementation, something which was not the case in "grey" infrastructure," the report said. At the moment, however, only "marginal" use was made of such nature-based solutions. "Accurate figures are not available", but investments in these techniques "appear to be less than one percent... Of total investment in infrastructure and water resource management," according to the report. They "are often perceived as less effective" because they are less visible, Connor said.

World needs 'greener' water policies as demand rises: UN

Canada will send helicopters and support troops to join a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali, government officials said on Monday, though they gave few details on timing or numbers.

The government said in a statement that Canada&#39;s involvement in Mali would last for 12 months. The country&#39;s contribution will include both Chinook helicopters for transport and logistics and Griffon helicopters to provide armed escort and protection.

Shortly after coming to power in late 2015, the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated it would send up to 600 troops to Mali, where UN&nbsp;peacekeepers are fighting Islamist militants.

Ottawa later put the plans on hold amid fears of casualties, angering allies who said they felt let down. More than 80 people deployed through the UN&nbsp;have been killed in Mali since 2013, making it the world&#39;s deadliest peacekeeping operation.

Earlier this month four UN&nbsp;peacekeepers were killed by a roadside bomb in central Mali. 
&nbsp;

The government said in a statement that Canada`s involvement in Mali would last for 12 months

Canada will send helicopters and support troops to join a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali, government officials said on Monday, though they gave few details on timing or numbers. The government said in a statement that Canada's involvement in Mali would last for 12 months. The country's contribution will include both Chinook helicopters for transport and logistics and Griffon helicopters to provide armed escort and protection. Shortly after coming to power in late 2015, the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated it would send up to 600 troops to Mali, where UN peacekeepers are fighting Islamist militants. Ottawa later put the plans on hold amid fears of casualties, angering allies who said they felt let down. More than 80 people deployed through the UN have been killed in Mali since 2013, making it the world's deadliest peacekeeping operation. Earlier this month four UN peacekeepers were killed by a roadside bomb in central Mali.

Canada to send helicopters, troops to aid UN's Mali mission

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned a suicide attack on a police check-post near the residence of Pakistan&#39;s ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore.

Guterres extended his condolences to the families of the victims of the March 14 attack, a statement from a UN spokesman said adding that the Secretary-General calls for the perpetrators of the attack to be brought to justice.

The statement said the UN supports the efforts of the government of Pakistan to fight terrorism with full respect for international human rights norms and obligations.

A teenaged suicide bomber blew himself up near the residence of Sharif, killing nine people, including five policemen, the police said.

The blast took place close to a check post, a few kilometres from the palatial residence of the Sharif family.&nbsp;

Around 25 people were also injured in the attack.&nbsp;

UN Secretary-General Antonio condemned a suicide attack on a police check-post near the residence of Pakistan's PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned a suicide attack on a police check-post near the residence of Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore. Guterres extended his condolences to the families of the victims of the March 14 attack, a statement from a UN spokesman said adding that the Secretary-General calls for the perpetrators of the attack to be brought to justice. The statement said the UN supports the efforts of the government of Pakistan to fight terrorism with full respect for international human rights norms and obligations. A teenaged suicide bomber blew himself up near the residence of Sharif, killing nine people, including five policemen, the police said. The blast took place close to a check post, a few kilometres from the palatial residence of the Sharif family. Around 25 people were also injured in the attack.

UN chief condemns attack near Sharif's residence in Lahore

US President Donald Trump has bashed international efforts to combat climate change and questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is dangerous and driven by human consumption of fossil fuels.

But there is a disconnect between what Trump says at home and what his government does abroad. While attention has been focused on Trump&#39;s rhetoric, State Department envoys, federal agencies, and government scientists remain active participants in international efforts to both research and fight climate change, according to the US and foreign representatives involved in those efforts.

&quot;We really don&#39;t detect any change with the Americans,&quot; said one of the officials, Aleksi H&auml;rk&ouml;nen of Finland, who chairs the eight-nation Arctic Council&#39;s key group of senior officials, who are charged with protecting a region warming faster than any other on Earth.

Over the past year, the United States has helped draft the rulebook for implementing the Paris climate accord, signed international memoranda calling for global action to fight climate change, boosted funding for overseas clean energy projects, and contributed to global research on the dangers and causes of the Earth&#39;s warming.

While the United States&rsquo; participation in international forums - including the Paris accord and the Arctic Council - has been reported, its continued, broad and constructive support for climate change efforts in these gatherings has not.

This business-as-usual approach has surprised some of America&rsquo;s foreign partners, along with some of Trump&rsquo;s allies, who had expected the new administration to match its rhetoric with an obstructionist approach to combating climate change.

&quot;I am concerned that much of our climate policy remains on autopilot,&quot; complained Trump&rsquo;s former energy adviser Myron Ebell, now a research director at the right-leaning Competitive Enterprise Institute, who said it reflects a failure by the administration to fill key positions and replace staffers who oppose the president&#39;s agenda.

The US efforts abroad to tackle climate change have been counter-balanced by Trump&#39;s aggressive push at home to increase production of the fossil fuels scientists blame for global warming. He has also ordered a wide-ranging rollback of Obama-era climate regulations and appointed a self-described climate sceptic, Scott Pruitt, as the nation&rsquo;s chief environmental regulator.

And to be sure, none of the US dealings in international climate efforts since last year have committed the United States to any emissions cuts that would undermine Trump&rsquo;s domestic energy agenda.

The State Department - which handles the bulk of US climate policy abroad - told Reuters it was still developing its global warming policy under Trump.

&quot;The State Department is working with the White House and the interagency to further develop our approach to international climate change diplomacy,&quot; State Department spokesman Ambrose Sayles said in a statement before Trump sacked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday.

&quot;In the meantime, we will continue to participate ... to ensure a level playing field that benefits and protects US interests, and to keep all options open for the President,&quot; Sayles said.

Tillerson&#39;s departure leaves a question mark over the future of US climate policy abroad. Tillerson was in favour of the Paris accord, while his successor, Mike Pompeo, has expressed doubts about the science of climate change. Climate advocates say they hope Pompeo will be too distracted by tensions with Iran and North Korea to change the State Department&rsquo;s approach to climate change.

White House spokeswoman Kelly Love declined to comment.

Trump announced last year that he was withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement to fight global warming, raising concerns among other parties to the deal that Washington might attempt to torpedo the accord or disengage from it completely.

That hasn&#39;t happened. Washington sent a 40-strong delegation to talks in Bonn in November to help draft a new rulebook that will provide rules of the road for the 200 participating nations. It was a smaller delegation than Washington had sent to past meetings, but it still won praise from fellow delegates for its work.

For example, Andrew Rakestraw - a climate negotiator for the State Department since 2013 - co-chaired discussions on how to ensure that the pledges by signatories are comparable and use the same accounting standards - a point seen as critical to the success of the accord.

Nazhat Shameem Khan, chief negotiator for Fiji, which presided over the talks, said the United States delegation was &quot;constructive and helpful.&quot; &nbsp;The UN&rsquo;s climate chief, Patricia Espinosa, also called the US role constructive.&nbsp;

Thomas Shannon, the State Department&#39;s chief climate negotiator in Bonn, did not respond to requests for comment. Rakestraw also did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment.

A US source familiar with the US position at the talks, who asked not to be named, said that US delegates in Bonn were pushing an agenda that resembled those of past administrations - stressing that emerging economies like China follow the same rules as developed nations and meet international standards for monitoring and reporting emissions.

There was one jarring note: Washington sponsored a side event to promote &ldquo;clean coal.&rdquo; Some other delegates said they were unhappy with this, as they wanted the talks to focus on renewable energies.

Under the details of the accord, the United States cannot formally withdraw until 2020.

The State Department&rsquo;s delegations to the Arctic Council are also continuing their work in much the same way they did under President Barack Obama - acknowledging that warming is real and should be countered in planning everything from new shipping routes to the protection of indigenous peoples.

Some US agencies are also still bolstering international efforts to fight climate change.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which seeks to advance US policy by financing foreign business ventures, doubled its support for solar projects in 2017 under a climate-friendly policy last updated by the Obama administration.

And NASA, the US space agency, continues to research climate change, publish climate change data, and contribute to international reports, spokesman Stephen Cole said.

Both OPIC and NASA are independent of the State Department, so would not be under Pompeo&#39;s sway.

Scientists representing the United States in the international research say they have also been unfettered by the Trump administration, despite concerns early in the Trump presidency that the White House would seek to silence them or restrict their work.

&ldquo;There has been no pressure on US authors,&rdquo; said one US scientist, who is now helping to write a United Nations report that will call for coal to be &ldquo;phased out rapidly&rdquo; to limit global warming - &nbsp;a direct clash with Trump&#39;s pro-coal agenda.

The scientist asked not to be named because the draft report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), due to be released in October, is confidential.

&quot;Our US colleagues know that climate change is not a hoax,&quot; said one of the non-US authors of the same report, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

Christopher Field, a professor of environmental studies at Stanford University who co-chaired a 2014 IPCC report on the impacts of climate change, agreed: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve not seen any indication that the climate denialism from Trump and other members of the administration has had any influence ... on the alignment of the US scientific community with the scientific consensus around the world.&quot;

Still, scientists worry that while the Trump administration is not interfering with their research it is ignoring it.

The Trump administration made no move to block an assessment by 300 experts last year that outlined the threats and causes of warming in the United States and concluded there is &ldquo;no convincing alternative explanation&rdquo; for climate change than human activity.

&quot;But then they haven&#39;t acknowledged the findings, nor changed their climate science denying stance,&rdquo; said the US scientist involved in drafting the UN coal report.

Trump has bashed international efforts to combat climate change and questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is dangerous and driven by human consumption of fossil fuels

US President Donald Trump has bashed international efforts to combat climate change and questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is dangerous and driven by human consumption of fossil fuels. But there is a disconnect between what Trump says at home and what his government does abroad. While attention has been focused on Trump's rhetoric, State Department envoys, federal agencies, and government scientists remain active participants in international efforts to both research and fight climate change, according to the US and foreign representatives involved in those efforts. "We really don't detect any change with the Americans," said one of the officials, Aleksi Härkönen of Finland, who chairs the eight-nation Arctic Council's key group of senior officials, who are charged with protecting a region warming faster than any other on Earth. Over the past year, the United States has helped draft the rulebook for implementing the Paris climate accord, signed international memoranda calling for global action to fight climate change, boosted funding for overseas clean energy projects, and contributed to global research on the dangers and causes of the Earth's warming. While the United States’ participation in international forums - including the Paris accord and the Arctic Council - has been reported, its continued, broad and constructive support for climate change efforts in these gatherings has not. This business-as-usual approach has surprised some of America’s foreign partners, along with some of Trump’s allies, who had expected the new administration to match its rhetoric with an obstructionist approach to combating climate change. "I am concerned that much of our climate policy remains on autopilot," complained Trump’s former energy adviser Myron Ebell, now a research director at the right-leaning Competitive Enterprise Institute, who said it reflects a failure by the administration to fill key positions and replace staffers who oppose the president's agenda. The US efforts abroad to tackle climate change have been counter-balanced by Trump's aggressive push at home to increase production of the fossil fuels scientists blame for global warming. He has also ordered a wide-ranging rollback of Obama-era climate regulations and appointed a self-described climate sceptic, Scott Pruitt, as the nation’s chief environmental regulator. And to be sure, none of the US dealings in international climate efforts since last year have committed the United States to any emissions cuts that would undermine Trump’s domestic energy agenda. The State Department - which handles the bulk of US climate policy abroad - told Reuters it was still developing its global warming policy under Trump. "The State Department is working with the White House and the interagency to further develop our approach to international climate change diplomacy," State Department spokesman Ambrose Sayles said in a statement before Trump sacked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday. "In the meantime, we will continue to participate ... to ensure a level playing field that benefits and protects US interests, and to keep all options open for the President," Sayles said. Tillerson's departure leaves a question mark over the future of US climate policy abroad. Tillerson was in favour of the Paris accord, while his successor, Mike Pompeo, has expressed doubts about the science of climate change. Climate advocates say they hope Pompeo will be too distracted by tensions with Iran and North Korea to change the State Department’s approach to climate change. White House spokeswoman Kelly Love declined to comment. Trump announced last year that he was withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement to fight global warming, raising concerns among other parties to the deal that Washington might attempt to torpedo the accord or disengage from it completely. That hasn't happened. Washington sent a 40-strong delegation to talks in Bonn in November to help draft a new rulebook that will provide rules of the road for the 200 participating nations. It was a smaller delegation than Washington had sent to past meetings, but it still won praise from fellow delegates for its work. For example, Andrew Rakestraw - a climate negotiator for the State Department since 2013 - co-chaired discussions on how to ensure that the pledges by signatories are comparable and use the same accounting standards - a point seen as critical to the success of the accord. Nazhat Shameem Khan, chief negotiator for Fiji, which presided over the talks, said the United States delegation was "constructive and helpful." The UN’s climate chief, Patricia Espinosa, also called the US role constructive. Thomas Shannon, the State Department's chief climate negotiator in Bonn, did not respond to requests for comment. Rakestraw also did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. A US source familiar with the US position at the talks, who asked not to be named, said that US delegates in Bonn were pushing an agenda that resembled those of past administrations - stressing that emerging economies like China follow the same rules as developed nations and meet international standards for monitoring and reporting emissions. There was one jarring note: Washington sponsored a side event to promote “clean coal.” Some other delegates said they were unhappy with this, as they wanted the talks to focus on renewable energies. Under the details of the accord, the United States cannot formally withdraw until 2020. The State Department’s delegations to the Arctic Council are also continuing their work in much the same way they did under President Barack Obama - acknowledging that warming is real and should be countered in planning everything from new shipping routes to the protection of indigenous peoples. Some US agencies are also still bolstering international efforts to fight climate change. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which seeks to advance US policy by financing foreign business ventures, doubled its support for solar projects in 2017 under a climate-friendly policy last updated by the Obama administration. And NASA, the US space agency, continues to research climate change, publish climate change data, and contribute to international reports, spokesman Stephen Cole said. Both OPIC and NASA are independent of the State Department, so would not be under Pompeo's sway. Scientists representing the United States in the international research say they have also been unfettered by the Trump administration, despite concerns early in the Trump presidency that the White House would seek to silence them or restrict their work. “There has been no pressure on US authors,” said one US scientist, who is now helping to write a United Nations report that will call for coal to be “phased out rapidly” to limit global warming - a direct clash with Trump's pro-coal agenda. The scientist asked not to be named because the draft report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), due to be released in October, is confidential. "Our US colleagues know that climate change is not a hoax," said one of the non-US authors of the same report, who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Christopher Field, a professor of environmental studies at Stanford University who co-chaired a 2014 IPCC report on the impacts of climate change, agreed: “I’ve not seen any indication that the climate denialism from Trump and other members of the administration has had any influence ... on the alignment of the US scientific community with the scientific consensus around the world." Still, scientists worry that while the Trump administration is not interfering with their research it is ignoring it. The Trump administration made no move to block an assessment by 300 experts last year that outlined the threats and causes of warming in the United States and concluded there is “no convincing alternative explanation” for climate change than human activity. "But then they haven't acknowledged the findings, nor changed their climate science denying stance,” said the US scientist involved in drafting the UN coal report.

Weathering Trump's scepticism, US officials still fighting global warming

The United States on Monday warned it was ready to act in Syria if needed to end chemical attacks and &quot;inhuman suffering&quot; as it pushed for a new 30-day ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the UN Security Council that a ceasefire approved two weeks ago &quot;has failed&quot; and circulated a new draft resolution calling for a 30-day truce in the rebel enclave and Damascus.

&quot;This is no ceasefire. This is the Assad regime, Iran, and Russia continuing to wage war against their political opponents,&quot; Haley said.

The US ambassador recalled that President Donald Trump had ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base in April last year in retaliation for a sarin gas attack blamed on President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces.

&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; Haley said.

&quot;It is not the path we prefer, but it is a path we have demonstrated we will take, and we are prepared to take again,&quot; Haley said.

&quot;When the international community consistently fails to act, there are times when states are compelled to take their own action.&quot;

The US-drafted text seen by AFP would decide on a 30-day cessation of hostilities throughout Eastern Ghouta and Damascus City to begin immediately upon adoption.

The draft resolution would allow &quot;safe, unimpeded and sustained access&quot; for humanitarian aid convoys and &quot;safe, unconditional, medical evacuations in Eastern Ghouta.&quot;

A Syrian opposition representative told the council at a separate meeting that military action was a feasible option to stop the violence and force the Syrian government to the negotiating table.

Hadi al-Bahra, of the Syrian negotiation commission, said &quot;the threat, and if necessary use of limited military action&quot; was necessary to deter violations of the ceasefire. On Monday, Syrian forces pounded two rebel towns in Eastern Ghouta, pressing on with a Russia-backed offensive that has so far allowed government fighters to retake nearly 60 percent of the enclave.

At least 1,162 civilians have been killed, including 241 children in the nearly month-long offensive, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

More than 1,000 people, including many children, are in urgent need of evacuation, according to the United Nations.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia hit back at the United States and its allies for &quot;doing nothing but constantly blaming the Syrian regime and putting demands on Russia.&quot;

&quot;The government of Syria has every right to try to remove the threat to the safety of its citizens,&quot; the Russian ambassador said.

&quot;The suburbs of Damascus cannot remain a hotbed of terrorism.&quot;

The ceasefire resolution was never intended to put in place an immediate truce, he said.

&quot;What we are talking about is a preliminary agreement among the parties as a preconditon for sustained de-escalation in all difficult areas of Syria, not only Eastern Ghouta,&quot; he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the council that air strikes, shelling and ground offensives had intensified in Eastern Ghouta since the ceasefire resolution was adopted on February 24.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre piled pressure on Russia to halt operations and push the Syrian government to end its offensive, saying &quot;Russia can stop the bloodbath.&quot;

&quot;We all know that Russia has not been able or willing to stop this military offensive yet,&quot; he told reporters ahead of the meeting.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the UN Security Council that a ceasefire approved two weeks ago 'has failed'

The United States on Monday warned it was ready to act in Syria if needed to end chemical attacks and "inhuman suffering" as it pushed for a new 30-day ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta. US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the UN Security Council that a ceasefire approved two weeks ago "has failed" and circulated a new draft resolution calling for a 30-day truce in the rebel enclave and Damascus. "This is no ceasefire. This is the Assad regime, Iran, and Russia continuing to wage war against their political opponents," Haley said. The US ambassador recalled that President Donald Trump had ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base in April last year in retaliation for a sarin gas attack blamed on President Bashar al-Assad's forces. "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," Haley said. "It is not the path we prefer, but it is a path we have demonstrated we will take, and we are prepared to take again," Haley said. "When the international community consistently fails to act, there are times when states are compelled to take their own action." The US-drafted text seen by AFP would decide on a 30-day cessation of hostilities throughout Eastern Ghouta and Damascus City to begin immediately upon adoption. The draft resolution would allow "safe, unimpeded and sustained access" for humanitarian aid convoys and "safe, unconditional, medical evacuations in Eastern Ghouta." A Syrian opposition representative told the council at a separate meeting that military action was a feasible option to stop the violence and force the Syrian government to the negotiating table. Hadi al-Bahra, of the Syrian negotiation commission, said "the threat, and if necessary use of limited military action" was necessary to deter violations of the ceasefire. On Monday, Syrian forces pounded two rebel towns in Eastern Ghouta, pressing on with a Russia-backed offensive that has so far allowed government fighters to retake nearly 60 percent of the enclave. At least 1,162 civilians have been killed, including 241 children in the nearly month-long offensive, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. More than 1,000 people, including many children, are in urgent need of evacuation, according to the United Nations. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia hit back at the United States and its allies for "doing nothing but constantly blaming the Syrian regime and putting demands on Russia." "The government of Syria has every right to try to remove the threat to the safety of its citizens," the Russian ambassador said. "The suburbs of Damascus cannot remain a hotbed of terrorism." The ceasefire resolution was never intended to put in place an immediate truce, he said. "What we are talking about is a preliminary agreement among the parties as a preconditon for sustained de-escalation in all difficult areas of Syria, not only Eastern Ghouta," he said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the council that air strikes, shelling and ground offensives had intensified in Eastern Ghouta since the ceasefire resolution was adopted on February 24. French Ambassador Francois Delattre piled pressure on Russia to halt operations and push the Syrian government to end its offensive, saying "Russia can stop the bloodbath." "We all know that Russia has not been able or willing to stop this military offensive yet," he told reporters ahead of the meeting.

US threatens to act in Syria as it pushes new UN ceasefire

Myanmar is allegedly building military bases on the top of razed Rohingya villages, where the Rohingyas once lived before their persecution by the country&#39;s security forces in August last year.

The development has raised questions over the safety of hundreds of thousands of persecuted Rohingyas due to be repatriated from neighbouring Bangladesh to Myanmar.

According to detailed satellite images published by Amnesty International on Monday, it appeared to show &quot;new security infrastructure&quot; replacing the burnt homes of the refugees, after Myanmarese forces launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingyas, which the United Nations has described the violence as &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot;.

Tirana Hassan, Amnesty&#39;s crisis response director, said, &quot;The remaking of Rakhine State (in Myanmar) is taking place in a shroud of secrecy. The authorities cannot be allowed to continue their campaign of ethnic cleansing in the name of &#39;development&#39;.&quot;

Amnesty&#39;s analysis of new satellite imagery appears to prove that at least three new security bases have been built in Rakhine since January, while more were found to be under construction, The Telegraph reported.

Hassan added, &quot;What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas.&quot;

The images also show new refugee reception centres surrounded by the new security fences and a heavy presence of military forces, raising concerns that Myanmar is preparing to restrict the freedom of the Rohingya refugees returning home to safety.

In January, Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed on a two-year timeframe for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees.

An estimated 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the country in an attempt to escape the atrocities committed by Myanmar&#39;s military forces against the minority community.

The process, which was supposed to start from January 22 was delayed as some critics of the deal voiced concerns over the lack of security guarantees for those who would return.

Despite the ongoing preparations for repatriation, more than 2,500 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh this year.

According to Bangladesh government&#39;s statistics, an average of 75 Rohingya refugees fled their villages in Myanmar every day between January 1 and February 15.

Rohingyas are a Muslim minority ethnic group in Myanmar. They have been regarded by many majority Buddhists as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

There are more than 3,00,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, who fled in earlier waves of violence from Myanmar since the last three decades.

Hassan added, "What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas."

Myanmar is allegedly building military bases on the top of razed Rohingya villages, where the Rohingyas once lived before their persecution by the country's security forces in August last year. The development has raised questions over the safety of hundreds of thousands of persecuted Rohingyas due to be repatriated from neighbouring Bangladesh to Myanmar. According to detailed satellite images published by Amnesty International on Monday, it appeared to show "new security infrastructure" replacing the burnt homes of the refugees, after Myanmarese forces launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingyas, which the United Nations has described the violence as "ethnic cleansing". Tirana Hassan, Amnesty's crisis response director, said, "The remaking of Rakhine State (in Myanmar) is taking place in a shroud of secrecy. The authorities cannot be allowed to continue their campaign of ethnic cleansing in the name of 'development'." Amnesty's analysis of new satellite imagery appears to prove that at least three new security bases have been built in Rakhine since January, while more were found to be under construction, The Telegraph reported. Hassan added, "What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas." The images also show new refugee reception centres surrounded by the new security fences and a heavy presence of military forces, raising concerns that Myanmar is preparing to restrict the freedom of the Rohingya refugees returning home to safety. In January, Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed on a two-year timeframe for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees. An estimated 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the country in an attempt to escape the atrocities committed by Myanmar's military forces against the minority community. The process, which was supposed to start from January 22 was delayed as some critics of the deal voiced concerns over the lack of security guarantees for those who would return. Despite the ongoing preparations for repatriation, more than 2,500 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh this year. According to Bangladesh government's statistics, an average of 75 Rohingya refugees fled their villages in Myanmar every day between January 1 and February 15. Rohingyas are a Muslim minority ethnic group in Myanmar. They have been regarded by many majority Buddhists as illegal migrants from Bangladesh. There are more than 3,00,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, who fled in earlier waves of violence from Myanmar since the last three decades.

Myanmar building military bases in burnt Rohingya villages

British broadcaster the BBC said on Monday it was appealing to the United Nations to protect its journalists in Iran after it said persecution and harassment by the Iranian authorities escalated in 2017.

&quot;The BBC is taking the unprecedented step of appealing to the United Nations because our own attempts to persuade the Iranian authorities to end their harassment have been completely ignored,&quot; BBC Director General Tony Hall said in a statement.

&quot;In fact, during the past nine years, the collective punishment of BBC Persian Service journalists and their families has worsened.&quot;

Britain&#39;s foreign secretary Boris Johnson said in December that he had raised &quot;the official harassment of journalists working for BBC Persian and their families inside Iran&quot; with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif when he visited Tehran.

The broadcaster said journalists in London working on BBC Persian, part of the BBC World Service, and their families in Iran had been targeted since the satellite TV station launched in 2009.

The harassment escalated last year when Iranian authorities alleged the service&#39;s work was a crime against Iran&#39;s national security and froze the assets of more than 152 current and former BBC Persian staff, it said.

BBC Persian said at the time that it was another step by Iran&#39;s judiciary to silence impartial journalists.

The BBC said other measures against its journalists included the arbitrary arrest and detention of family members in Iran, the confiscation of passports and travel bans preventing people leaving Iran and the spread of fake and defamatory news targeting individuals especially women journalists. &nbsp;

Iran accused the BBC of inciting unrest after the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009 and has said its journalists had broadcast against the national interests of the Islamic Republic.

The following year it banned Iranians from contact with dozens of foreign organisations, including the BBC, which it said were seeking to topple the Islamic theocracy.

The BBC said it was planning a series of events in partnership with the International Federation of Journalists this week during the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The broadcaster said journalists in London working on BBC Persian, part of the BBC World Service, and their families in Iran had been targeted since the satellite TV station launched in 2009

British broadcaster the BBC said on Monday it was appealing to the United Nations to protect its journalists in Iran after it said persecution and harassment by the Iranian authorities escalated in 2017. "The BBC is taking the unprecedented step of appealing to the United Nations because our own attempts to persuade the Iranian authorities to end their harassment have been completely ignored," BBC Director General Tony Hall said in a statement. "In fact, during the past nine years, the collective punishment of BBC Persian Service journalists and their families has worsened." Britain's foreign secretary Boris Johnson said in December that he had raised "the official harassment of journalists working for BBC Persian and their families inside Iran" with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif when he visited Tehran. The broadcaster said journalists in London working on BBC Persian, part of the BBC World Service, and their families in Iran had been targeted since the satellite TV station launched in 2009. The harassment escalated last year when Iranian authorities alleged the service's work was a crime against Iran's national security and froze the assets of more than 152 current and former BBC Persian staff, it said. BBC Persian said at the time that it was another step by Iran's judiciary to silence impartial journalists. The BBC said other measures against its journalists included the arbitrary arrest and detention of family members in Iran, the confiscation of passports and travel bans preventing people leaving Iran and the spread of fake and defamatory news targeting individuals especially women journalists. Iran accused the BBC of inciting unrest after the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009 and has said its journalists had broadcast against the national interests of the Islamic Republic. The following year it banned Iranians from contact with dozens of foreign organisations, including the BBC, which it said were seeking to topple the Islamic theocracy. The BBC said it was planning a series of events in partnership with the International Federation of Journalists this week during the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

BBC appeals to UN over 'collective punishment' of its journalists by Iran

India on Thursday highlighted human rights violations by Pakistan at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

India&#39;s response came after Pakistan raised the issue of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mini Devi Kumam, Second Secretary, India&#39;s Permanent Mission at UNHRC, said it had become a habit of Pakistan to misuse the UNHRC platform to make misleading references about internal matters pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir.

&quot;This Council should be mindful that the dubious concern for human rights is coming from a country, which has systematically abused and violated the human rights of the people in Baluchistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir,&quot; Kumam said at the 37th Session of UNHRC.

She added that &quot;Pakistan has long been attempting to mask its territorial ambitions and use of terrorism as a state policy under the guise of concern for human rights&quot;.

The Indian representative also told the UNHRC that Pakistan was committing grossest violation of human rights by exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir.

&quot;Terrorism is the grossest violation of human rights. The real problem in the State of Jammu and Kashmir is terrorism, which has constantly received sustenance from Pakistan and territories under its control,&quot; Kumam asserted.

India also urged the UNHRC to call on Pakistan to end cross-border infiltration, to dismantle special terrorist zones, safe havens and sanctuaries, and to take verifiable actions, including on terror financing.

The Indian representative also told the UNHRC that Pakistan should provide freedom to the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir by ending its illegal and forcible occupation.

While highlighting the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, India said Islamabad should end harassment of minorities; place procedural and institutional safeguards to prevent its misuse.

Kumam also demanded that Pakistan should end forced conversions and marriages of minorities; including Hindu, Sikh and Christian women, and prosecute all such cases.

India also highlighted enforced disappearances and unlawful killing of political dissidents by the Pakistani security forces.

&quot;We urge the Council to call on Pakistan to stop targeting political dissidents and legitimate criticism in Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to stop torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful killing, including that of journalists and activists by its security agencies. Pakistan should also prosecute all perpetrators of such crimes,&quot; Kumam said.

India also demanded end of sectarian violence, systemic persecution and attacks on Muslim minorities, such as Shia, Ahmadiyas , Ismailia and Hazaras in Pakistan.&nbsp;

India also highlighted enforced disappearances and unlawful killing of political dissidents by the Pakistani security forces

India on Thursday highlighted human rights violations by Pakistan at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). India's response came after Pakistan raised the issue of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. Mini Devi Kumam, Second Secretary, India's Permanent Mission at UNHRC, said it had become a habit of Pakistan to misuse the UNHRC platform to make misleading references about internal matters pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir. "This Council should be mindful that the dubious concern for human rights is coming from a country, which has systematically abused and violated the human rights of the people in Baluchistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir," Kumam said at the 37th Session of UNHRC. She added that "Pakistan has long been attempting to mask its territorial ambitions and use of terrorism as a state policy under the guise of concern for human rights". The Indian representative also told the UNHRC that Pakistan was committing grossest violation of human rights by exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir. "Terrorism is the grossest violation of human rights. The real problem in the State of Jammu and Kashmir is terrorism, which has constantly received sustenance from Pakistan and territories under its control," Kumam asserted. India also urged the UNHRC to call on Pakistan to end cross-border infiltration, to dismantle special terrorist zones, safe havens and sanctuaries, and to take verifiable actions, including on terror financing. The Indian representative also told the UNHRC that Pakistan should provide freedom to the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir by ending its illegal and forcible occupation. While highlighting the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, India said Islamabad should end harassment of minorities; place procedural and institutional safeguards to prevent its misuse. Kumam also demanded that Pakistan should end forced conversions and marriages of minorities; including Hindu, Sikh and Christian women, and prosecute all such cases. India also highlighted enforced disappearances and unlawful killing of political dissidents by the Pakistani security forces. "We urge the Council to call on Pakistan to stop targeting political dissidents and legitimate criticism in Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to stop torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful killing, including that of journalists and activists by its security agencies. Pakistan should also prosecute all perpetrators of such crimes," Kumam said. India also demanded end of sectarian violence, systemic persecution and attacks on Muslim minorities, such as Shia, Ahmadiyas , Ismailia and Hazaras in Pakistan.

India to UN: Call on Pakistan to dismantle 'special terrorist zones'

India&#39;s representative at the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, on Thursday said that those who support terrorists have been undeterred despite international community&#39;s efforts.&nbsp;

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Despite international community&#39;s efforts, those supporting terrorists affecting Afghanistan haven&#39;t deterred.There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support dark agenda of Taliban, Haqqani network,ISIS, Al Qaeda, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed: Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin at UNSC <a href="https://t.co/PhXSuVRFie">pic.twitter.com/PhXSuVRFie</a>
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&quot;Despite international community&#39;s efforts, those supporting terrorists affecting Afghanistan haven&#39;t deterred. There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support dark agenda of Taliban, Haqqani network, ISIS, Al Qaeda, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed,&quot; he said while talking about countering terrorism at the United Nation Security Council meeting.&nbsp;

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Indeed the challenges posed by cross border terrorism emanating from safe havens &amp; sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed: Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, India&#39;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations at UNSC <a href="https://t.co/HHFdKm19nq">pic.twitter.com/HHFdKm19nq</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/971942627552743429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Akbaruddin also talked about the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism &quot;emanating from safe havens and sanctuaries&quot;.

&quot;Indeed the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism emanating from safe havens &amp; sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed,&quot; he added further.&nbsp;

India&#39;s ambassador to UN also reiterated the continued stance of &#39;zero-tolerance&#39; &quot;for those who continue violence&quot;.&nbsp;

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It should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue violence. Any violence needs a robust response.The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced:Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin,India&#39;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations at UNSC
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/971942631767977985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;It should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue the violence. Any violence needs a robust response.The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced,&quot; he shared.&nbsp;

India on Thursday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-highlights-human-rights-violations-by-pakistan-at-un-35150">highlighted human rights violations by Pakistan </a>at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

India&#39;s response came after Pakistan raised the issue of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mini Devi Kumam, Second Secretary, India&#39;s Permanent Mission at UNHRC stated that &quot;Pakistan has long been attempting to mask its territorial ambitions and use of terrorism as a state policy under the guise of concern for human rights&quot;.

The Indian representative also told the UNHRC that Pakistan was committing grossest violation of human rights by exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir.

India also urged the UNHRC to call on Pakistan to end cross-border infiltration, to dismantle special terrorist zones, safe havens and sanctuaries, and to take verifiable actions, including on terror financing.

(With inputs from ANI)

Akbaruddin also talked about the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism 'emanating from safe havens and sanctuaries'

India's representative at the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, on Thursday said that those who support terrorists have been undeterred despite international community's efforts. Despite international community's efforts, those supporting terrorists affecting Afghanistan haven't deterred.There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support dark agenda of Taliban, Haqqani network,ISIS, Al Qaeda, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed: Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin at UNSC pic.twitter.com/PhXSuVRFie — ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2018 × "Despite international community's efforts, those supporting terrorists affecting Afghanistan haven't deterred. There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support dark agenda of Taliban, Haqqani network, ISIS, Al Qaeda, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed," he said while talking about countering terrorism at the United Nation Security Council meeting. Indeed the challenges posed by cross border terrorism emanating from safe havens & sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed: Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations at UNSC pic.twitter.com/HHFdKm19nq — ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2018 × Akbaruddin also talked about the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism "emanating from safe havens and sanctuaries". "Indeed the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism emanating from safe havens & sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed," he added further. India's ambassador to UN also reiterated the continued stance of 'zero-tolerance' "for those who continue violence". It should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue violence. Any violence needs a robust response.The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced:Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin,India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations at UNSC — ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2018 × "It should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue the violence. Any violence needs a robust response.The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced," he shared. India on Thursday highlighted human rights violations by Pakistan at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). India's response came after Pakistan raised the issue of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. Mini Devi Kumam, Second Secretary, India's Permanent Mission at UNHRC stated that "Pakistan has long been attempting to mask its territorial ambitions and use of terrorism as a state policy under the guise of concern for human rights". The Indian representative also told the UNHRC that Pakistan was committing grossest violation of human rights by exporting terrorism to Jammu and Kashmir. India also urged the UNHRC to call on Pakistan to end cross-border infiltration, to dismantle special terrorist zones, safe havens and sanctuaries, and to take verifiable actions, including on terror financing. (With inputs from ANI)

No tolerance towards those supporting violence: Syed Akbaruddin at UN

The Baloch Republican Party (BRP), Switzerland protested state-sponsored atrocities in Balochistan during the ongoing 37th session of United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The BRP Switzerland posted out from its Twitter announcing their protest campaign.

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BRP Switzerland organized a campaign during 37th session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. There will be an awareness camp outside UN, a rally in Geneva city and a protest demo at Broken Chair
&mdash; BRP Switzerland (@BRP_Switzerland) <a href="https://twitter.com/BRP_Switzerland/status/971336182893350913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;BRP Switzerland organized a campaign during the 37th session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. There will be an awareness camp outside UN, a rally in Geneva city and a protest demo at Broken Chair,&quot; The BRP Switzerland tweeted.

Protesters marched from Rive to United Nations office and shouted pro-freedom slogans. They demanded Pakistan to stop abducting innocent civilians from Balochistan.

The BRP also organised an awareness camp outside UN at the Broken Chair in order to make people aware of growing human rights violations in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, &#39;Free Karachi&#39; movement also seems to have sprawled across the globe with an aim to urge the world community to save Mohajirs in Pakistan.&nbsp;

In the&nbsp;latest phase of its&nbsp;campaign, digital ads appeared on the official website of a leading newspaper of the United States, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/leading-us-daily-runs-free-karachi-campaign-advertisements-34825">New York Times</a>, highlighting the Mohajir issue.

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

The BRP Switzerland posted out from its Twitter announcing their protest campaign

The Baloch Republican Party (BRP), Switzerland protested state-sponsored atrocities in Balochistan during the ongoing 37th session of United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. The BRP Switzerland posted out from its Twitter announcing their protest campaign. BRP Switzerland organized a campaign during 37th session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. There will be an awareness camp outside UN, a rally in Geneva city and a protest demo at Broken Chair — BRP Switzerland (@BRP_Switzerland) March 7, 2018 × "BRP Switzerland organized a campaign during the 37th session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. There will be an awareness camp outside UN, a rally in Geneva city and a protest demo at Broken Chair," The BRP Switzerland tweeted. Protesters marched from Rive to United Nations office and shouted pro-freedom slogans. They demanded Pakistan to stop abducting innocent civilians from Balochistan. The BRP also organised an awareness camp outside UN at the Broken Chair in order to make people aware of growing human rights violations in Balochistan. Meanwhile, 'Free Karachi' movement also seems to have sprawled across the globe with an aim to urge the world community to save Mohajirs in Pakistan. In the latest phase of its campaign, digital ads appeared on the official website of a leading newspaper of the United States, New York Times, highlighting the Mohajir issue. (With inputs from ANI)

Baloch Republican Party holds anti-Pakistan protest in Geneva

In a reconstruction bid for earthquake-ravaged Nepal, the Government of India has sealed an agreement with United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to build 50, 000 homes for quake victims.

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&nbsp;

The agreement signed will provide socio-technical facilitation to the earthquake victims of Gorkha, the epicentre of 2015&#39;s earthquake and the Nuwakot district of Nepal.

Sanjay Mathur, Regional Director, UNOPS, said, &quot;It is significant that the Indian Government has decided to partner with the United Nations in this effort between UNOPS and UNDP. We have covered every district affected by the earthquake. We have strong partnerships and have strong relationships with local governments and communities. The close collaboration with the Government of India, Government of Nepal, Provincial and Local Government and with our UNDP partners it is an essential part of this essence of this program.&quot;

As per the agreement sealed on Thursday, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will build 26, 912 homeowners in Gorkha and 23, 088 homeowners in Nuwakot Districts of Nepal.

Yuvraj Bhusal, CEO, National Reconstruction Authority, Nepal, said, &quot;The Government of India is the largest donor in this regard, our near, next door neighbor and we are very much grateful to the Government of India and People of India for extending support to the cause of Nepal and Nepalese particularly for the earthquake victims.&quot;

As per the agreement, New Delhi will give $8.41 million to the UNOPS and $7.41 Million to the UNDP for the reconstruction of the 50,000 homes.

Manjeev Singh Puri, Ambassador of India to Nepal, said, &quot;The God, nature and our forefathers have bound us together in a manner perhaps this is not applicable to any other in the world. We all of us do not consider all of this even use the expression which is often claimed today as co-operation, we say this is a partnership we must have side by side solidarity. We must do what we can do for each other and your (Nepal&#39;s) prosperity lies gains for me and if I do well you have the right to pick and choose that from me and I think this brings whole life model for the people of India and people in Nepal. So we are very proud of this partnership and we are very very comfortable with this partnership let it be strengthened&nbsp; and let it be nurtured.&quot;

With the implementation of the agreement signed on Thursday a total of 16, 912 households in Gorkha and 23,088 households in Nuwakot will be benefitted.

The earthquake of 2015&#39;s April created havoc in Nepal which took the lives of about 10,000 people and 22,300 injuries. Gorkha and the Nuwakot were the districts which had the highest tolls and were enlisted as the &quot;Crisis-hit&quot; 14 districts.&nbsp;

The agreement signed will provide socio-technical facilitation to the earthquake victims of Gorkha

In a reconstruction bid for earthquake-ravaged Nepal, the Government of India has sealed an agreement with United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to build 50, 000 homes for quake victims. × The agreement signed will provide socio-technical facilitation to the earthquake victims of Gorkha, the epicentre of 2015's earthquake and the Nuwakot district of Nepal. Sanjay Mathur, Regional Director, UNOPS, said, "It is significant that the Indian Government has decided to partner with the United Nations in this effort between UNOPS and UNDP. We have covered every district affected by the earthquake. We have strong partnerships and have strong relationships with local governments and communities. The close collaboration with the Government of India, Government of Nepal, Provincial and Local Government and with our UNDP partners it is an essential part of this essence of this program." As per the agreement sealed on Thursday, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will build 26, 912 homeowners in Gorkha and 23, 088 homeowners in Nuwakot Districts of Nepal. Yuvraj Bhusal, CEO, National Reconstruction Authority, Nepal, said, "The Government of India is the largest donor in this regard, our near, next door neighbor and we are very much grateful to the Government of India and People of India for extending support to the cause of Nepal and Nepalese particularly for the earthquake victims." As per the agreement, New Delhi will give $8.41 million to the UNOPS and $7.41 Million to the UNDP for the reconstruction of the 50,000 homes. Manjeev Singh Puri, Ambassador of India to Nepal, said, "The God, nature and our forefathers have bound us together in a manner perhaps this is not applicable to any other in the world. We all of us do not consider all of this even use the expression which is often claimed today as co-operation, we say this is a partnership we must have side by side solidarity. We must do what we can do for each other and your (Nepal's) prosperity lies gains for me and if I do well you have the right to pick and choose that from me and I think this brings whole life model for the people of India and people in Nepal. So we are very proud of this partnership and we are very very comfortable with this partnership let it be strengthened and let it be nurtured." With the implementation of the agreement signed on Thursday a total of 16, 912 households in Gorkha and 23,088 households in Nuwakot will be benefitted. The earthquake of 2015's April created havoc in Nepal which took the lives of about 10,000 people and 22,300 injuries. Gorkha and the Nuwakot were the districts which had the highest tolls and were enlisted as the "Crisis-hit" 14 districts.

India seals agreement with UN to build homes for Nepal quake victims

A senior Bangladesh cabinet minister has accused Myanmar of obstructing efforts to repatriate roughly 750,000 Rohingya refugees, saying it was unlikely the displaced Muslims would ever return to their homeland.

Finance minister AMA Muhith said the repatriation deal signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh in November would likely fail despite his government&#39;s official stance that the refugees must eventually go back.

&quot;I do not believe that the Rohingya can be sent back,&quot; Muhith, an outspoken minister from the ruling party, told reporters late Tuesday in Dhaka after meeting with a British charity.

&quot;You can speculate that very few will return to Burma. The first reason is that Burma will only take a few and secondly is that the refugees will never return if they fear persecution,&quot; he added, using another name for Myanmar.

Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will go ahead, last month submitting to Myanmar the names of 8,000 refugees expected to return to Rakhine state where the Muslim minority has been persecuted for generations.

But the plan has courted controversy from the outset.

Rights groups and the UN have warned that conditions for their return are not close to being in place.

Refugees living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh have also resisted the idea, fearing they will not be safe if they return to Rakhine.

Close to one million refugees from the persecuted Muslim minority live in squalid camps in Cox&#39;s Bazar, having fled successive waves of violence in Myanmar&#39;s westernmost region.

Under the agreement, the first of a proposed 750,000 returnees were scheduled to begin crossing the border in late January.

But the process stalled, with Myanmar and Bangladesh blaming the other for a lack of preparedness for the huge undertaking.

Muhith said Myanmar would &quot;take 15 a day when there is one million&quot;, referring to the Rohingya in camps strung along the border.

&quot;They (Myanmar) are absolute evil,&quot; he added.

A UN human rights envoy said on Tuesday that Myanmar was continuing its &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; of the Rohingya with a &quot;campaign of terror and forced starvation&quot; in Rakhine state.

Rohingya are still streaming across the border from Rakhine state more than six months after a Myanmar army crackdown sparked a massive refugee crisis.&nbsp;

"I do not believe that the Rohingya can be sent back," Muhith

A senior Bangladesh cabinet minister has accused Myanmar of obstructing efforts to repatriate roughly 750,000 Rohingya refugees, saying it was unlikely the displaced Muslims would ever return to their homeland. Finance minister AMA Muhith said the repatriation deal signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh in November would likely fail despite his government's official stance that the refugees must eventually go back. "I do not believe that the Rohingya can be sent back," Muhith, an outspoken minister from the ruling party, told reporters late Tuesday in Dhaka after meeting with a British charity. "You can speculate that very few will return to Burma. The first reason is that Burma will only take a few and secondly is that the refugees will never return if they fear persecution," he added, using another name for Myanmar. Bangladesh insists the repatriation process will go ahead, last month submitting to Myanmar the names of 8,000 refugees expected to return to Rakhine state where the Muslim minority has been persecuted for generations. But the plan has courted controversy from the outset. Rights groups and the UN have warned that conditions for their return are not close to being in place. Refugees living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh have also resisted the idea, fearing they will not be safe if they return to Rakhine. Close to one million refugees from the persecuted Muslim minority live in squalid camps in Cox's Bazar, having fled successive waves of violence in Myanmar's westernmost region. Under the agreement, the first of a proposed 750,000 returnees were scheduled to begin crossing the border in late January. But the process stalled, with Myanmar and Bangladesh blaming the other for a lack of preparedness for the huge undertaking. Muhith said Myanmar would "take 15 a day when there is one million", referring to the Rohingya in camps strung along the border. "They (Myanmar) are absolute evil," he added. A UN human rights envoy said on Tuesday that Myanmar was continuing its "ethnic cleansing" of the Rohingya with a "campaign of terror and forced starvation" in Rakhine state. Rohingya are still streaming across the border from Rakhine state more than six months after a Myanmar army crackdown sparked a massive refugee crisis.

Bangladesh minister says Rohingya repatriation unlikely to succeed

The Syrian regime is orchestrating an &quot;apocalypse&quot; that will strike elsewhere following the devastating crisis unfolding in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, the UN human rights chief said on Wednesday.

In his annual report to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein said the government&#39;s actions in the area were &quot;legally and morally unsustainable&quot; while warning the next nightmare for Syrian civilians would inevitably arrive soon.&nbsp;

&quot;This month, it is Eastern Ghouta which is, in the words of the Secretary-General, hell on earth; next month or the month after, it will be somewhere else where people face an apocalypse &ndash; an apocalypse intended, planned and executed by individuals within the government, apparently with the full backing of some of their foreign supporters,&quot; Zeid told the council.&nbsp;

&quot;It is urgent to reverse this catastrophic course, and to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

The Syrian army and allied militia launched an offensive on February 18 to retake Eastern Ghouta, the last rebel-controlled region near the capital Damascus.&nbsp;

The offensive has been backed by Russia, the government&#39;s key military ally.&nbsp;

They have since recaptured more than 40 per cent of the area with support from a devastating bombing campaign that has killed more than 800 civilians.

By Wednesday, government troops were at the edges of several key towns, including Misraba, Beit Sawa, Jisreen and Hammuriyeh.&nbsp;

Beyond Eastern Ghouta, Zeid said the seven-year-old conflict in Syria was entering &quot;a new phase of horror&quot;, noting rising violence in the rebel-held area of Idlib and Turkey&#39;s offensive in Afrin.&nbsp;

&quot;When you are prepared to kill your own people so easily, lying is easy too. Claims by the government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous,&quot; Zeid said.&nbsp;

'It is urgent to reverse this catastrophic course, and to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court,' the UN human rights chief said

The Syrian regime is orchestrating an "apocalypse" that will strike elsewhere following the devastating crisis unfolding in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, the UN human rights chief said on Wednesday. In his annual report to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the government's actions in the area were "legally and morally unsustainable" while warning the next nightmare for Syrian civilians would inevitably arrive soon. "This month, it is Eastern Ghouta which is, in the words of the Secretary-General, hell on earth; next month or the month after, it will be somewhere else where people face an apocalypse – an apocalypse intended, planned and executed by individuals within the government, apparently with the full backing of some of their foreign supporters," Zeid told the council. "It is urgent to reverse this catastrophic course, and to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court," he added. The Syrian army and allied militia launched an offensive on February 18 to retake Eastern Ghouta, the last rebel-controlled region near the capital Damascus. The offensive has been backed by Russia, the government's key military ally. They have since recaptured more than 40 per cent of the area with support from a devastating bombing campaign that has killed more than 800 civilians. By Wednesday, government troops were at the edges of several key towns, including Misraba, Beit Sawa, Jisreen and Hammuriyeh. Beyond Eastern Ghouta, Zeid said the seven-year-old conflict in Syria was entering "a new phase of horror", noting rising violence in the rebel-held area of Idlib and Turkey's offensive in Afrin. "When you are prepared to kill your own people so easily, lying is easy too. Claims by the government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous," Zeid said.

UN accuses Syria regime of orchestrating 'apocalypse'

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour said that Myanmar&#39;s &#39;ethnic cleansing&#39; continues. Gilmour&#39;s comments came after a four-day visit to refugee camps in Cox&#39;s Bazar, Bangladesh on Tuesday.&nbsp;

&quot;The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya from Myanmar continues. I don&#39;t think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox&#39;s Bazar,&quot; Gilmour said.&nbsp;

&quot;It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists,&quot; Gilmour added in a statement.

&quot;The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh.&quot;&nbsp;

Insurgent attacks in Myanmar, carried out almost six months back, sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Insurgent attacks in Myanmar, carried out almost six months back, sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour said that Myanmar's 'ethnic cleansing' continues. Gilmour's comments came after a four-day visit to refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh on Tuesday. "The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya from Myanmar continues. I don't think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox's Bazar," Gilmour said. "It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists," Gilmour added in a statement. "The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh." Insurgent attacks in Myanmar, carried out almost six months back, sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh. (With inputs from agencies)

Myanmar's 'ethnic cleansing' of Rohingya continues: UN human rights official

Myanmar`s &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; of Rohingya Muslims is continuing, a senior UN human rights official said on Tuesday, more than six months after insurgent attacks sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh.

Andrew Gilmour, the UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, made the comment after a four-day visit to the Cox`s Bazar district in neighboring Bangladesh, where he met people who have fled from Myanmar recently.

&quot;I don`t think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox`s Bazar,&quot; Gilmour said in a statement.&nbsp;

After Rohingya insurgents attacked 30 police posts and an army base on August 25, Myanmar soldiers and police swept through villages in what the government says was a legitimate operation to root out &quot;terrorists&quot;.

Rohingya who sought shelter in Bangladesh have reported rape, killings, and arson by security forces. The United Nations and the United States have concluded the campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing.

Gilmour spoke to refugees who recounted abductions by security forces and at least one apparent death of a Rohingya man in custody in February, the statement said.

&quot;It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists,&quot; Gilmour said.

&quot;The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh.&quot;&nbsp;

Despite Myanmar saying it was ready to accept back refugees under a pact signed with Bangladesh in November, he added, &quot;Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are, of course, impossible under current conditions&quot;.

Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said he had not seen the UN statement published on Tuesday, but that Myanmar was not committing ethnic cleansing.

&quot;We don`t drive out the refugees,&quot; he said.

Separately, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was concerned about people living just inside Myanmar at its border with Bangladesh.

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is monitoring developments after several thousand people living in a makeshift camp &quot;were reportedly ordered to vacate the area by the Myanmar authorities&quot;, the agency said.

Residents of what is called &quot;no-man`s land&quot;, as it sits outside Myanmar`s border fence but on its side of a creek that separates the two countries, say Myanmar officials have warned them on loudspeakers that their presence on the borderline is illegal.

&quot;UNHCR underscores that everyone has the right to seek asylum, just as they also have the right to return home when they deem the time and circumstances right,&quot; it said in a statement late on Monday.

&quot;People who have fled violence in their country must be granted safety and protection and any decision to return must be voluntary and based upon a free and informed choice.&quot;

Zaw Htay said Myanmar had the right to move people from its territory and part of an agreed &quot;buffer zone&quot; with Bangladesh. Authorities had received information that &quot;terrorists&quot; linked to the August attacks on Myanmar`s security posts were sheltering there, he added.

&quot;According to procedure security forces have to clear the area for security reasons,&quot; he said.

Zaw Htay said he believed the people were staying on the border to &quot;trap&quot; Myanmar into conducting a &quot;clearance operation&quot;, which he said media and the United Nations would label as ethnic cleansing.

Bangladesh last week protested to Myanmar`s ambassador in Dhaka after Myanmar security personnel, estimated to number more than 200, gathered near the border.

&quot;Troop movements so close to them are making things even worse,&quot; said Major Iqbal Ahmed of Bangladesh`s border guard. &quot;They are now ev en more reluctant to go back to their homeland.&quot;

Myanmar`s "ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya Muslims is continuing, a senior UN human rights official said on Tuesday, more than six months after insurgent attacks sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh

Myanmar`s "ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya Muslims is continuing, a senior UN human rights official said on Tuesday, more than six months after insurgent attacks sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh. Andrew Gilmour, the UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, made the comment after a four-day visit to the Cox`s Bazar district in neighboring Bangladesh, where he met people who have fled from Myanmar recently. "I don`t think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox`s Bazar," Gilmour said in a statement. After Rohingya insurgents attacked 30 police posts and an army base on August 25, Myanmar soldiers and police swept through villages in what the government says was a legitimate operation to root out "terrorists". Rohingya who sought shelter in Bangladesh have reported rape, killings, and arson by security forces. The United Nations and the United States have concluded the campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing. Gilmour spoke to refugees who recounted abductions by security forces and at least one apparent death of a Rohingya man in custody in February, the statement said. "It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists," Gilmour said. "The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh." Despite Myanmar saying it was ready to accept back refugees under a pact signed with Bangladesh in November, he added, "Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are, of course, impossible under current conditions". Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said he had not seen the UN statement published on Tuesday, but that Myanmar was not committing ethnic cleansing. "We don`t drive out the refugees," he said. Separately, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was concerned about people living just inside Myanmar at its border with Bangladesh. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is monitoring developments after several thousand people living in a makeshift camp "were reportedly ordered to vacate the area by the Myanmar authorities", the agency said. Residents of what is called "no-man`s land", as it sits outside Myanmar`s border fence but on its side of a creek that separates the two countries, say Myanmar officials have warned them on loudspeakers that their presence on the borderline is illegal. "UNHCR underscores that everyone has the right to seek asylum, just as they also have the right to return home when they deem the time and circumstances right," it said in a statement late on Monday. "People who have fled violence in their country must be granted safety and protection and any decision to return must be voluntary and based upon a free and informed choice." Zaw Htay said Myanmar had the right to move people from its territory and part of an agreed "buffer zone" with Bangladesh. Authorities had received information that "terrorists" linked to the August attacks on Myanmar`s security posts were sheltering there, he added. "According to procedure security forces have to clear the area for security reasons," he said. Zaw Htay said he believed the people were staying on the border to "trap" Myanmar into conducting a "clearance operation", which he said media and the United Nations would label as ethnic cleansing. Bangladesh last week protested to Myanmar`s ambassador in Dhaka after Myanmar security personnel, estimated to number more than 200, gathered near the border. "Troop movements so close to them are making things even worse," said Major Iqbal Ahmed of Bangladesh`s border guard. "They are now ev en more reluctant to go back to their homeland."

Myanmar's 'ethnic cleansing' of Rohingya continues, UN rights official says

India saw a sharp decline in child marriages over the last ten years with 27 per cent of girls getting married before their 18th birthday as against 47 per cent a decade ago, the United Nations children&#39;s agency UNICEF said today.

This decline in India has contributed significantly to a global decline in child marriages, Overall, the proportion of girls who were married as children decreased by 15 per cent in the last decade, from 1 in 4 to approximately 1 in 5.

According to a statement issued by the UNICEF, 25 million child marriages were prevented globally in the last 10 years (2005-06 and 2015-16) with the largest reduction seen in South Asia with India being at the forefront.

&quot;South Asia has witnessed the largest decline in child marriages worldwide in the last 10 years, as a girls&#39; risk of marrying before her 18th birthday has dropped by more than a third, from nearly 50 per cent to 30 per cent, in large part due to progress in India,&quot; the UNICEF stated.

The UN children&#39;s agency attributed increasing rates of girls&#39; education, proactive government investments in adolescent girls and strong public awareness about the illegality of child marriage and the harm it causes are among the reasons for the decline.

&quot;When a girl is forced to marry as a child, she faces immediate and lifelong consequences. Her odds of finishing school decrease while her odds of being abused by her husband and suffering complications during pregnancy increase. There are also huge societal consequences and a higher risk of intergenerational cycles of poverty,&quot; said Anju Malhotra, UNICEF&#39;s Principal Gender Advisor.

&quot;Given the life-altering impact child marriage has on a young girl&#39;s life, any reduction is welcome news, but we&#39;ve got a long way to go,&#39;&#39; she said.

&quot;Each and every child marriage prevented gives another girl the chance to fulfill her potential,&quot; said Malhotra.

&#39;&#39;But given the world has pledged to end child marriage by 2030, we&#39;re going to have to collectively redouble efforts to prevent millions of girls from having their childhoods stolen through this devastating practice,&#39;&#39; Sher stressed.

The proportion of girls getting married as children diminished by 15 per cent in the last decade

India saw a sharp decline in child marriages over the last ten years with 27 per cent of girls getting married before their 18th birthday as against 47 per cent a decade ago, the United Nations children's agency UNICEF said today. This decline in India has contributed significantly to a global decline in child marriages, Overall, the proportion of girls who were married as children decreased by 15 per cent in the last decade, from 1 in 4 to approximately 1 in 5. According to a statement issued by the UNICEF, 25 million child marriages were prevented globally in the last 10 years (2005-06 and 2015-16) with the largest reduction seen in South Asia with India being at the forefront. "South Asia has witnessed the largest decline in child marriages worldwide in the last 10 years, as a girls' risk of marrying before her 18th birthday has dropped by more than a third, from nearly 50 per cent to 30 per cent, in large part due to progress in India," the UNICEF stated. The UN children's agency attributed increasing rates of girls' education, proactive government investments in adolescent girls and strong public awareness about the illegality of child marriage and the harm it causes are among the reasons for the decline. "When a girl is forced to marry as a child, she faces immediate and lifelong consequences. Her odds of finishing school decrease while her odds of being abused by her husband and suffering complications during pregnancy increase. There are also huge societal consequences and a higher risk of intergenerational cycles of poverty," said Anju Malhotra, UNICEF's Principal Gender Advisor. "Given the life-altering impact child marriage has on a young girl's life, any reduction is welcome news, but we've got a long way to go,'' she said. "Each and every child marriage prevented gives another girl the chance to fulfill her potential," said Malhotra. ''But given the world has pledged to end child marriage by 2030, we're going to have to collectively redouble efforts to prevent millions of girls from having their childhoods stolen through this devastating practice,'' Sher stressed.

Child marriages declining in India: UNICEF

The Maldivian President&#39;s office has issued a statement in the wake former President Nasheed&#39;s allegations accusing President Yameen of &quot;violating UN sanctions on North Korea&quot;.

&quot;The Maldives will pursue aggressive regulatory action against those who tarnish the good standing and reputation of the nation,&quot; noted the official release.&nbsp;

&quot;The Government of Maldives gives high priority to the implementation of all resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, including the Resolutions on Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea (North Korea),&quot; the statement further noted.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-former-president-nasheed-alleges-president-yameen-of-violating-un-sanctions-on-north-korea-34340">Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed alleged</a> that Yameen allowed the ships to transfer cargo to North Korean ships on the high seas. The former president took to Twitter saying, &quot;It&#39;s concerning, but unsurprising, to learn President Yameen is again breaking UN sanctions, this time with North Korea. He&#39;s getting Maldives flagged ships to transfer cargo to North Korean ships on the high seas. In the 1990s, Prez Yameen did the same with the Burmese junta.&quot;

The release clarified that &quot;the Government of the Republic of Maldives, in no uncertain terms, refutes the assumption that a vessel named Xin Yuan 18 is of Maldivian origin &ndash; no such vessel is registered in the country. Further, we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the use of our National Flag in a manner so as to tarnish the good standing and reputation of our nation and that of our people&quot;.

The statement concluded saying that the Maldivian authorities do not allow flag of convenience to foreign-owned vessels to operate outside Maldivian waters.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives confirmed that the vessel &lsquo;Xin Yuan 18&rsquo; is not registered in the Maldives.&nbsp;

The statement concluded saying that the Maldivian authorities do not allow flag of convenience to foreign-owned vessels to operate outside Maldivian waters

The Maldivian President's office has issued a statement in the wake former President Nasheed's allegations accusing President Yameen of "violating UN sanctions on North Korea". "The Maldives will pursue aggressive regulatory action against those who tarnish the good standing and reputation of the nation," noted the official release. "The Government of Maldives gives high priority to the implementation of all resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, including the Resolutions on Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)," the statement further noted. Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed alleged that Yameen allowed the ships to transfer cargo to North Korean ships on the high seas. The former president took to Twitter saying, "It's concerning, but unsurprising, to learn President Yameen is again breaking UN sanctions, this time with North Korea. He's getting Maldives flagged ships to transfer cargo to North Korean ships on the high seas. In the 1990s, Prez Yameen did the same with the Burmese junta." The release clarified that "the Government of the Republic of Maldives, in no uncertain terms, refutes the assumption that a vessel named Xin Yuan 18 is of Maldivian origin – no such vessel is registered in the country. Further, we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the use of our National Flag in a manner so as to tarnish the good standing and reputation of our nation and that of our people". The statement concluded saying that the Maldivian authorities do not allow flag of convenience to foreign-owned vessels to operate outside Maldivian waters. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives confirmed that the vessel ‘Xin Yuan 18’ is not registered in the Maldives.

Maldives snubs claims of violating UN sanctions on North Korea

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Tuesday said that sanctions on North Korea aimed to pressure it to give up its nuclear ambitions.

Kyung-wha kept his views in front of the Conference on Disarmament at the United Nations in Geneva.&nbsp;

&quot;Sanctions are not an end in themselves and not meant to bring down North Korea but to make it understand that its future lies not in nuclear weapons but in working with the global community towards denuclearlisation,&quot; Kang said.&nbsp;

He stressed that their efforts are to help North Korea make the right decision.

&quot;Our consistent message should be that it must make the right decision. And if it does, we are ready to work together towards a brighter and prosperous future for North Korea.&quot;

Earlier, Seoul informed that North Korea is willing to hold talks with the US, days after it cancelled a planned meeting with Vice President Mike Pence. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Kyung-wha kept his views in front of the Conference on Disarmament at the UN in Geneva

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Tuesday said that sanctions on North Korea aimed to pressure it to give up its nuclear ambitions. Kyung-wha kept his views in front of the Conference on Disarmament at the United Nations in Geneva. "Sanctions are not an end in themselves and not meant to bring down North Korea but to make it understand that its future lies not in nuclear weapons but in working with the global community towards denuclearlisation," Kang said. He stressed that their efforts are to help North Korea make the right decision. "Our consistent message should be that it must make the right decision. And if it does, we are ready to work together towards a brighter and prosperous future for North Korea." Earlier, Seoul informed that North Korea is willing to hold talks with the US, days after it cancelled a planned meeting with Vice President Mike Pence.

Sanctions do not aim to bring down North Korea, says South Korea

The Philippines will allow an investigation into alleged human rights abuses in its bloody war on drugs, but not if it is conducted by the United Nations&#39; current special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, a senior official said on Tuesday.

More than 30 mostly Western countries have called on the Philippines to allow the UN expert, Agnes Callamard, to look into the thousands of killings in President Rodrigo Duterte brutal 19 month-old crackdown.

Callamard&#39;s specialist areas under the United Nations are extrajudicial killings, summary and arbitrary executions.

Duterte&#39;s spokesman, Harry Roque, a lawyer, said the Philippines welcomed any investigation provided that the United Nations sends a &quot;credible, objective and unbiased&quot; rapporteur, who is also &quot;an authority in the field that they seek to investigate&quot;.

Callamard does not fit that description, he said.

&quot;Definitely, not Agnes Callamard,&quot; Roque told a regular news briefing. &quot;It&#39;s her fault the home state does not want her in.&quot;

More than 4,000 Filipinos have been killed by police during the drugs war and hundreds, possibly several thousand, more by unidentified armed men.

Human rights groups and Duterte&#39;s political opponents say executions of drug users and small-time peddlers are widespread and systematic. The authorities deny that and say those killed were all dealers who put up violent resistance.

Last week, Amnesty International in the Philippines said &quot;meaningful investigations&quot; into such killings had failed to take place.

A prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in the Hague earlier this month started a preliminary examination into a complaint accusing Duterte and at least 11 officials of crimes against humanity. Duterte has welcomed that.

Roque said he had a lawyer in mind who could do the job instead of Callamard, but would not say who.

Duterte has previously said he would welcome a probe by Callamard on the condition she agreed to have a public debate with him.

She irked the government in May last year when she gave a speech at a policy forum during a visit in an unofficial capacity.

The Philippines will allow an investigation into alleged human rights abuses in its bloody war on drugs, but not if it is conducted by the United Nations' current special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, a senior official said on Tuesday

The Philippines will allow an investigation into alleged human rights abuses in its bloody war on drugs, but not if it is conducted by the United Nations' current special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, a senior official said on Tuesday. More than 30 mostly Western countries have called on the Philippines to allow the UN expert, Agnes Callamard, to look into the thousands of killings in President Rodrigo Duterte brutal 19 month-old crackdown. Callamard's specialist areas under the United Nations are extrajudicial killings, summary and arbitrary executions. Duterte's spokesman, Harry Roque, a lawyer, said the Philippines welcomed any investigation provided that the United Nations sends a "credible, objective and unbiased" rapporteur, who is also "an authority in the field that they seek to investigate". Callamard does not fit that description, he said. "Definitely, not Agnes Callamard," Roque told a regular news briefing. "It's her fault the home state does not want her in." More than 4,000 Filipinos have been killed by police during the drugs war and hundreds, possibly several thousand, more by unidentified armed men. Human rights groups and Duterte's political opponents say executions of drug users and small-time peddlers are widespread and systematic. The authorities deny that and say those killed were all dealers who put up violent resistance. Last week, Amnesty International in the Philippines said "meaningful investigations" into such killings had failed to take place. A prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in the Hague earlier this month started a preliminary examination into a complaint accusing Duterte and at least 11 officials of crimes against humanity. Duterte has welcomed that. Roque said he had a lawyer in mind who could do the job instead of Callamard, but would not say who. Duterte has previously said he would welcome a probe by Callamard on the condition she agreed to have a public debate with him. She irked the government in May last year when she gave a speech at a policy forum during a visit in an unofficial capacity.

Philippines open to UN drugs war probe, if by 'credible, objective' investigator

Regime airstrikes and shell-firing continued in Eastern Ghouta in Syria with no signs of stoppage despite United Nations Security Council&#39;s call for a 30-day ceasefire, according to Syrian civil defense sources, the White Helmets.

One civilian was killed and scores were injured when the fresh airstrikes and artillery shells loyal to Syria&#39;s Russian-backed president Bashar al-Assad regime were fired into Eastern Ghouta&#39;s Douma, Bayt Sava, and al-Marj regions at around 10.30 a.m. (local time) on Tuesday, the White Helmets said in a statement.

A <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/air-strike-kills-syrian-family-of-nine-in-rebel-held-ghouta-monitor-34139">family of nine</a> was killed in a Syrian government strike on eastern Ghouta, a war monitor said on Monday, as Russia said a truce demanded by the United Nations Security Council would only take effect when all sides agreed how to implement it.&nbsp;

Fighting has continued in Syria since Saturday&#39;s Security Council resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it would not apply to the army&#39;s battle with &quot;terrorists&quot; in eastern Ghouta.&nbsp;

Health authorities in eastern Ghouta said several people had suffered symptoms consistent with chlorine gas exposure, killing one child. Lavrov said allegations the Syrian government was responsible for any chemical attack were aimed at sabotaging the truce.

He said Russia would introduce a daily humanitarian pause in Eastern Ghouta from February 27 by the order of President Vladimir Putin for the citizens to leave the war-ravaged Syria.

&quot;A humanitarian corridor will be open for civilians to exit the region every day from 9 am till 2 pm&quot;, Shoigu said.

Meanwhile, Russia said on Monday it would establish an evacuation corridor and implement a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syrias-ghouta-russia-orders-daily-5-hour-truce-34166">five-hour daily truce </a>to allow people to leave Syria&#39;s eastern Ghouta, after a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire across the entire country.

It appeared to make no mention, however, of allowing relief supplies to enter the territory, where 400,000 people are living under siege and bombardment.

In the past eight months, regime forces have intensified their siege of Eastern Ghouta, making it nearly impossible for food or medicine to get into the district and leaving thousands of patients in need of treatment.

Since February 19, escalating hostilities have resulted in 500 deaths and some 1,500 injuries in Eastern Ghouta, with 24 health facilities impacted by shelling and airstrikes, according to UN officials.

Fighting has continued in Syria since Saturday's Security Council resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it would not apply to the army's battle with 'terrorists' in eastern Ghouta

Regime airstrikes and shell-firing continued in Eastern Ghouta in Syria with no signs of stoppage despite United Nations Security Council's call for a 30-day ceasefire, according to Syrian civil defense sources, the White Helmets. One civilian was killed and scores were injured when the fresh airstrikes and artillery shells loyal to Syria's Russian-backed president Bashar al-Assad regime were fired into Eastern Ghouta's Douma, Bayt Sava, and al-Marj regions at around 10.30 a.m. (local time) on Tuesday, the White Helmets said in a statement. A family of nine was killed in a Syrian government strike on eastern Ghouta, a war monitor said on Monday, as Russia said a truce demanded by the United Nations Security Council would only take effect when all sides agreed how to implement it. Fighting has continued in Syria since Saturday's Security Council resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it would not apply to the army's battle with "terrorists" in eastern Ghouta. Health authorities in eastern Ghouta said several people had suffered symptoms consistent with chlorine gas exposure, killing one child. Lavrov said allegations the Syrian government was responsible for any chemical attack were aimed at sabotaging the truce. He said Russia would introduce a daily humanitarian pause in Eastern Ghouta from February 27 by the order of President Vladimir Putin for the citizens to leave the war-ravaged Syria. "A humanitarian corridor will be open for civilians to exit the region every day from 9 am till 2 pm", Shoigu said. Meanwhile, Russia said on Monday it would establish an evacuation corridor and implement a five-hour daily truce to allow people to leave Syria's eastern Ghouta, after a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire across the entire country. It appeared to make no mention, however, of allowing relief supplies to enter the territory, where 400,000 people are living under siege and bombardment. In the past eight months, regime forces have intensified their siege of Eastern Ghouta, making it nearly impossible for food or medicine to get into the district and leaving thousands of patients in need of treatment. Since February 19, escalating hostilities have resulted in 500 deaths and some 1,500 injuries in Eastern Ghouta, with 24 health facilities impacted by shelling and airstrikes, according to UN officials.

Airstrikes continue in Syria despite UN's ceasefire call

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Saturday unanimously backed a 30-day ceasefire resolution in Syria to allow for humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations.

The vote comes in response to the seven-day airstrikes and bombings in the war-torn country that has claimed over 500 lives so far.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed on Wednesday for an immediate end to &quot;war activities&quot; there and had referred to the Syrians living in the Eastern Ghouta enclave near Damascus as &quot;Hell on Earth&quot;, according to media reports.

Earlier, the UNSC was supposed to vote on the ceasefire in Syria on Thursday, which is seeing a bloody six-year-old civil war.

Negotiations stumbled over Russian demands that the rebel groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces should comply with the resolution.

Russia, which is also a permanent member of the Security Council vetoed 11 times to protect the Syrian government.

The draft resolution put forward by Kuwait and Sweden, earlier called for a nationwide resolution to go into effect within 72 hours after the resolution is passed. Medical evacuations and aid deliveries would start 48 hours after adopting the resolution. However, the plan did not materialise.

The Bashar-led Syrian government and its close ally Russia have repeatedly said that the motive of airstrikes is to target militants.

They have said that they seek to stop mortar attacks injuring dozens in Damascus, and have accused the militants in Eastern Ghouta of capturing and holding people as &quot;human shields&quot;.

Moscow, which intervened militarily in support of its Damascus ally in 2015, has denied any direct involvement in the Eastern Ghouta bombardment.

The Syrian military forces have not commented on the resolution so far.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called on the Russian President Vladimir Putin to back the ceasefire resolution.

In November last year, Russia used its veto power to end a UN-led investigation of chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

Nearly 500 people, including 100 children, have died and hundreds more injured in the last seven days, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

At least 35 civilians were killed in Saturday&#39;s strikes, including eight children. A night of heavy bombardment sparked fires in residential districts, the SOHR said in a statement.

Eastern Ghouta, which houses around 400,000 residents, has remained under a crippling regime siege for the last five years.

In May last year, Russia, Iran and Turkey signed an agreement to set up de-escalation zones, in order to prevent airstrike-related incidents in some parts of Syria.

The de-escalation zones include- Idlib province, some parts of Latakia province, Hama and Aleppo provinces, Homs, Eastern Ghouta, Daraa and al-Quneitra provinces in southern Syria.

Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011. Protesters have been long demanding the resignation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over his autocratic rule.

The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow aid deliveries and medical evacuations

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Saturday unanimously backed a 30-day ceasefire resolution in Syria to allow for humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations. The vote comes in response to the seven-day airstrikes and bombings in the war-torn country that has claimed over 500 lives so far. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed on Wednesday for an immediate end to "war activities" there and had referred to the Syrians living in the Eastern Ghouta enclave near Damascus as "Hell on Earth", according to media reports. Earlier, the UNSC was supposed to vote on the ceasefire in Syria on Thursday, which is seeing a bloody six-year-old civil war. Negotiations stumbled over Russian demands that the rebel groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces should comply with the resolution. Russia, which is also a permanent member of the Security Council vetoed 11 times to protect the Syrian government. The draft resolution put forward by Kuwait and Sweden, earlier called for a nationwide resolution to go into effect within 72 hours after the resolution is passed. Medical evacuations and aid deliveries would start 48 hours after adopting the resolution. However, the plan did not materialise. The Bashar-led Syrian government and its close ally Russia have repeatedly said that the motive of airstrikes is to target militants. They have said that they seek to stop mortar attacks injuring dozens in Damascus, and have accused the militants in Eastern Ghouta of capturing and holding people as "human shields". Moscow, which intervened militarily in support of its Damascus ally in 2015, has denied any direct involvement in the Eastern Ghouta bombardment. The Syrian military forces have not commented on the resolution so far. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called on the Russian President Vladimir Putin to back the ceasefire resolution. In November last year, Russia used its veto power to end a UN-led investigation of chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Nearly 500 people, including 100 children, have died and hundreds more injured in the last seven days, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). At least 35 civilians were killed in Saturday's strikes, including eight children. A night of heavy bombardment sparked fires in residential districts, the SOHR said in a statement. Eastern Ghouta, which houses around 400,000 residents, has remained under a crippling regime siege for the last five years. In May last year, Russia, Iran and Turkey signed an agreement to set up de-escalation zones, in order to prevent airstrike-related incidents in some parts of Syria. The de-escalation zones include- Idlib province, some parts of Latakia province, Hama and Aleppo provinces, Homs, Eastern Ghouta, Daraa and al-Quneitra provinces in southern Syria. Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011. Protesters have been long demanding the resignation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over his autocratic rule.

Syria war: UN Security Council approves 30-day ceasefire as death toll in rebel enclave tops 500

New air strikes on the Syrian rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Saturday took the civilian death toll from seven days of devastating bombardment to more than 500 after the United Nations again delayed a vote on a ceasefire. 
 
A total of 127 children figure among the 510 dead in the bombing campaign that the regime launched last Sunday on the enclave just outside Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. 
 
The Britain-based monitor of the war said at least 32 civilians were killed in Saturday&#39;s strikes, including eight children. A night of heavy bombardment sparked fires in residential districts, it said. 
 
The Observatory has said the air strikes are being carried out by Syrian and Russian forces. Moscow, which intervened militarily in support of its Damascus ally in 2015, has denied any direct involvement in the Eastern Ghouta bombardment. 
 
US President Donald Trump on Friday said Russia&#39;s recent actions in Syria were a &quot;disgrace&quot;.

The UN Security Council on Friday&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-security-council-to-vote-on-syria-ceasefire-today-33806">delayed to 19:30 GMT</a>&nbsp;a vote on a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, diplomats said.

Negotiations were continuing to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-blocks-un-resolution-on-ceasefire-in-syria-33759">avoid a Russia veto of the text&nbsp;</a>that would establish a truce to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations.

Turkey urged the international community to end the bloodshed in Eastern Ghouta. &quot;The world should say stop to this massacre,&quot; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s spokesman said on Twitter. 
 
Control of Eastern Ghouta is shared between two main Islamist factions, while Syria&#39;s former Al-Qaeda affiliate is also present, and Russia insists there can be no ceasefire with the jihadists or their allies. 
 
Russia has been pressing for a negotiated withdrawal of rebel fighters and their families like the one that saw the government retake full control of second city Aleppo in December 2016. But all three rebel groups have refused.

During a council meeting called by Russia, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia presented a new raft of amendments to a draft resolution that would allow deliveries of humanitarian aid and medical evacuations during the pause.

Negotiations on the draft presented by Sweden and Kuwait on February 9 have dragged on as hundreds of Syrians have died in a fierce government air campaign in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta.

World leaders have expressed outrage at the plight of civilians in Eastern Ghouta, which UN chief Antonio Guterres called &quot;hell on earth&quot;, but have so far been powerless to halt the bloodshed. 
 
The enclave is completely surrounded by government-controlled territory and its 400,000 residents are unwilling or unable to flee the deadly siege. 
 
In one of the many unfolding dramas at a Douma field hospital, a young woman amputated from the knee breastfed a 40-day-old infant who had lost his entire family in the bombings. 
 
&quot;She doesn&#39;t know yet that her own daughter has been killed,&quot; a nurse said. 
 
Food supplies have been running dry, with bread no longer available on local markets. 
 
&quot;I haven&#39;t eaten since the day before yesterday,&quot; said a mother in a shelter with her two children in Douma, Eastern Ghouta&#39;s main town. &quot;They haven&#39;t stopped crying for three days.&quot; 
 
The cornered rebels in Eastern Ghouta have been firing back into Damascus, where six civilians were wounded on Saturday, state media said. 
 
Around 20 people have been killed in eastern districts of the capital since Sunday, according to state media, and many residents have sought temporary accommodation elsewhere for fear of a further intensification of the fighting. 
 
At the United Nations, US ambassador Nikki Haley expressed dismay as negotiations dragged on to secure Russian approval for a ceasefire resolution. 
 
&quot;Unbelievable that Russia is stalling a vote on a ceasefire allowing humanitarian access in Syria,&quot; Haley posted on Twitter. 
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron wrote to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday to ask him to back the ceasefire. 
 
Negotiations have stumbled over a key provision of the draft resolution that specifies when the ceasefire will begin. 
 
Following hours of tough negotiations, an amended draft was circulated that demands a 30-day ceasefire &quot;without delay,&quot; while stopping short of specifying the timing. &nbsp; 
 
A previous draft had said the ceasefire would go into force 72 hours after the adoption, but that was dropped from the text in a bid to reach compromise with Russia. 
 
In another concession to Russia, the draft also specifies that the ceasefire will not apply to operations against the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda, along with &quot;individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated&quot; with the blacklisted terror groups. 
 
The text would demand the immediate lifting of all sieges in Syria, including that on Eastern Ghouta, and order all sides to &quot;cease depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable to their survival&quot;.

A total of 127 children figure among the 510 dead in the bombing campaign that the regime launched last Sunday on the enclave just outside Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said

New air strikes on the Syrian rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Saturday took the civilian death toll from seven days of devastating bombardment to more than 500 after the United Nations again delayed a vote on a ceasefire. A total of 127 children figure among the 510 dead in the bombing campaign that the regime launched last Sunday on the enclave just outside Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitor of the war said at least 32 civilians were killed in Saturday's strikes, including eight children. A night of heavy bombardment sparked fires in residential districts, it said. The Observatory has said the air strikes are being carried out by Syrian and Russian forces. Moscow, which intervened militarily in support of its Damascus ally in 2015, has denied any direct involvement in the Eastern Ghouta bombardment. US President Donald Trump on Friday said Russia's recent actions in Syria were a "disgrace". The UN Security Council on Friday delayed to 19:30 GMT a vote on a draft resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, diplomats said. Negotiations were continuing to avoid a Russia veto of the text that would establish a truce to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and medical evacuations. Turkey urged the international community to end the bloodshed in Eastern Ghouta. "The world should say stop to this massacre," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Twitter. Control of Eastern Ghouta is shared between two main Islamist factions, while Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate is also present, and Russia insists there can be no ceasefire with the jihadists or their allies. Russia has been pressing for a negotiated withdrawal of rebel fighters and their families like the one that saw the government retake full control of second city Aleppo in December 2016. But all three rebel groups have refused. During a council meeting called by Russia, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia presented a new raft of amendments to a draft resolution that would allow deliveries of humanitarian aid and medical evacuations during the pause. Negotiations on the draft presented by Sweden and Kuwait on February 9 have dragged on as hundreds of Syrians have died in a fierce government air campaign in the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta. World leaders have expressed outrage at the plight of civilians in Eastern Ghouta, which UN chief Antonio Guterres called "hell on earth", but have so far been powerless to halt the bloodshed. The enclave is completely surrounded by government-controlled territory and its 400,000 residents are unwilling or unable to flee the deadly siege. In one of the many unfolding dramas at a Douma field hospital, a young woman amputated from the knee breastfed a 40-day-old infant who had lost his entire family in the bombings. "She doesn't know yet that her own daughter has been killed," a nurse said. Food supplies have been running dry, with bread no longer available on local markets. "I haven't eaten since the day before yesterday," said a mother in a shelter with her two children in Douma, Eastern Ghouta's main town. "They haven't stopped crying for three days." The cornered rebels in Eastern Ghouta have been firing back into Damascus, where six civilians were wounded on Saturday, state media said. Around 20 people have been killed in eastern districts of the capital since Sunday, according to state media, and many residents have sought temporary accommodation elsewhere for fear of a further intensification of the fighting. At the United Nations, US ambassador Nikki Haley expressed dismay as negotiations dragged on to secure Russian approval for a ceasefire resolution. "Unbelievable that Russia is stalling a vote on a ceasefire allowing humanitarian access in Syria," Haley posted on Twitter. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron wrote to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday to ask him to back the ceasefire. Negotiations have stumbled over a key provision of the draft resolution that specifies when the ceasefire will begin. Following hours of tough negotiations, an amended draft was circulated that demands a 30-day ceasefire "without delay," while stopping short of specifying the timing. A previous draft had said the ceasefire would go into force 72 hours after the adoption, but that was dropped from the text in a bid to reach compromise with Russia. In another concession to Russia, the draft also specifies that the ceasefire will not apply to operations against the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda, along with "individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated" with the blacklisted terror groups. The text would demand the immediate lifting of all sieges in Syria, including that on Eastern Ghouta, and order all sides to "cease depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable to their survival".

Death toll in Syria enclave tops 500 after UN delays truce vote

Deadly air strikes hit the Syrian rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta for a seventh straight day on Saturday after the United Nations again delayed a vote on a ceasefire. 
 
The Damascus government launched a devastating bombardment of the area just outside the capital last Sunday that has now killed nearly 500 civilians including more than 100 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 
 
The Britain-based monitor of the war said at least 21 civilians were killed in fresh strikes on Eastern Ghouta on Saturday, including 12 in the main town of Douma. 
 
It has said the strikes are being carried out by Syrian and Russian forces. Moscow, which intervened militarily in support of its Damascus ally in 2015, has denied any direct involvement in the Eastern Ghouta bombardment. 
 
US President Donald Trump on Friday said Russia&#39;s recent actions in Syria were a &quot;disgrace&quot;. 
 
Friday&#39;s civilian death toll in the enclave -- under siege by the Syrian army since 2013 -- totalled 41, including 17 children, according to the Observatory. 
 
The UN Security Council had been due to hold a vote on Friday on a resolution calling for a month-long ceasefire to allow aid deliveries and the evacuation of seriously wounded civilians. 
 
But the vote was postponed until 1700 GMT on Saturday as Western powers bickered with Russia over the wording. 
 
Rebel fire on Damascus

Control of Eastern Ghouta is shared between two Islamist factions and Syria&#39;s former Al-Qaeda affiliate, and Russia insists there can be no ceasefire with the jihadists or their allies. 
 
Russia has been pressing for a negotiated withdrawal of rebel fighters and their families like the one that saw the government retake full control of second city Aleppo in December 2016. 
 
But all three rebel groups have refused. 
 
World leaders have expressed outrage at the plight of civilians in Eastern Ghouta, which UN chief Antonio Guterres called &quot;hell on earth&quot;, but have so far been powerless to halt the bloodshed. 
 
The enclave is completely surrounded by government-controlled territory and its 400,000 residents are unwilling or unable to flee the deadly siege. 
 
The rebels have been firing back into Damascus, where a hospital was hit on Friday, state news agency SANA reported.&nbsp; 
 
At least 16 civilians have been killed in eastern districts of the capital since Sunday, according to state media, and many residents have sought temporary accommodation elsewhere for fear of a further intensification of the fighting. 
 
&nbsp;&#39;Unbelievable&#39;&nbsp;

At the United Nations, US ambassador Nikki Haley expressed dismay as negotiations dragged on to secure Russian approval for a ceasefire resolution. 
 
&quot;Unbelievable that Russia is stalling a vote on a ceasefire allowing humanitarian access in Syria,&quot; Haley posted on Twitter. 
 
&quot;How many more people will die before the Security Council agrees to take up this vote?&nbsp;Let&#39;s do this tonight.&nbsp;The Syrian people can&#39;t wait.&quot; 
 
Russia has vetoed 11 draft resolutions on Syria to block action that targeted its ally. In November, it used its veto to end a UN-led investigation of chemical weapons attacks in Syria. 
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron wrote to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday to ask him to back the ceasefire. 
 
Negotiations have stumbled over a key provision of the draft resolution that specifies when the ceasefire will begin.&nbsp; 
 
Following hours of tough negotiations, an amended draft was circulated that demands a 30-day ceasefire &quot;without delay,&quot; while stopping short of specifying the timing. &nbsp; 
 
A previous draft had said the ceasefire would go into force 72 hours after the adoption, but that was dropped from the text in a bid to reach compromise with Russia. 
 
In another concession to Russia, the draft also specifies that the ceasefire will not apply to operations against the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda, along with &quot;individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated&quot; with the blacklisted terror groups. 
 
The text would demand the immediate lifting of all sieges, including that on Eastern Ghouta, and order all sides to &quot;cease depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable to their survival.&quot;

The Damascus government launched a devastating bombardment of the area just outside the capital last Sunday that has now killed nearly 500 civilians including more than 100 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

Deadly air strikes hit the Syrian rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta for a seventh straight day on Saturday after the United Nations again delayed a vote on a ceasefire. The Damascus government launched a devastating bombardment of the area just outside the capital last Sunday that has now killed nearly 500 civilians including more than 100 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Britain-based monitor of the war said at least 21 civilians were killed in fresh strikes on Eastern Ghouta on Saturday, including 12 in the main town of Douma. It has said the strikes are being carried out by Syrian and Russian forces. Moscow, which intervened militarily in support of its Damascus ally in 2015, has denied any direct involvement in the Eastern Ghouta bombardment. US President Donald Trump on Friday said Russia's recent actions in Syria were a "disgrace". Friday's civilian death toll in the enclave -- under siege by the Syrian army since 2013 -- totalled 41, including 17 children, according to the Observatory. The UN Security Council had been due to hold a vote on Friday on a resolution calling for a month-long ceasefire to allow aid deliveries and the evacuation of seriously wounded civilians. But the vote was postponed until 1700 GMT on Saturday as Western powers bickered with Russia over the wording. Rebel fire on Damascus Control of Eastern Ghouta is shared between two Islamist factions and Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, and Russia insists there can be no ceasefire with the jihadists or their allies. Russia has been pressing for a negotiated withdrawal of rebel fighters and their families like the one that saw the government retake full control of second city Aleppo in December 2016. But all three rebel groups have refused. World leaders have expressed outrage at the plight of civilians in Eastern Ghouta, which UN chief Antonio Guterres called "hell on earth", but have so far been powerless to halt the bloodshed. The enclave is completely surrounded by government-controlled territory and its 400,000 residents are unwilling or unable to flee the deadly siege. The rebels have been firing back into Damascus, where a hospital was hit on Friday, state news agency SANA reported. At least 16 civilians have been killed in eastern districts of the capital since Sunday, according to state media, and many residents have sought temporary accommodation elsewhere for fear of a further intensification of the fighting. 'Unbelievable' At the United Nations, US ambassador Nikki Haley expressed dismay as negotiations dragged on to secure Russian approval for a ceasefire resolution. "Unbelievable that Russia is stalling a vote on a ceasefire allowing humanitarian access in Syria," Haley posted on Twitter. "How many more people will die before the Security Council agrees to take up this vote? Let's do this tonight. The Syrian people can't wait." Russia has vetoed 11 draft resolutions on Syria to block action that targeted its ally. In November, it used its veto to end a UN-led investigation of chemical weapons attacks in Syria. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron wrote to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday to ask him to back the ceasefire. Negotiations have stumbled over a key provision of the draft resolution that specifies when the ceasefire will begin. Following hours of tough negotiations, an amended draft was circulated that demands a 30-day ceasefire "without delay," while stopping short of specifying the timing. A previous draft had said the ceasefire would go into force 72 hours after the adoption, but that was dropped from the text in a bid to reach compromise with Russia. In another concession to Russia, the draft also specifies that the ceasefire will not apply to operations against the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda, along with "individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated" with the blacklisted terror groups. The text would demand the immediate lifting of all sieges, including that on Eastern Ghouta, and order all sides to "cease depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable to their survival."

New strikes hit Syria enclave after UN delays truce vote, 21 civilians killed

Deputy head of the United Nation&#39;s agency for HIV/AIDS, Luiz Loures, is to step down soon without seeking to renew his position.

UNAIDS spokesman Mahesh Mahalingam called it unreasonable to link Loures&#39; resignation to sexual harassment allegations that were found to be unsubstantiated.

&quot;The independent investigation done by the WHO&rsquo;s (World Health Organization`s) internal oversight services division clearly found that the case was unsubstantiated and recommended the case to be closed,&quot; he said.

Loures will leave behind a career spanning nearly four decades, including 22 years at UNAIDS; &quot;he clearly feels that it is time for him to move on,&quot; Mahalingam noted.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, The United Nations International Children&#39;s Emergency Fund&#39;s (UNICEF) deputy director <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/unicef-deputy-director-justin-forsyth-steps-down-33748">Justin Forsyth stepped down yesterday</a>.

Forsyth&#39;s resignation came in the wake of looming concerns over his &quot;inappropriate&quot; comments and behaviour.

Reportedly, Forsyth was accused of sending inappropriate texts to Save the Children UK&#39;s female staff. Allegedly, he also made comments on their appearance while heading the charity in 2011 and 2015.

UNAIDS spokesman called it unreasonable to link Loures' resignation to sexual harassment allegations

Deputy head of the United Nation's agency for HIV/AIDS, Luiz Loures, is to step down soon without seeking to renew his position. UNAIDS spokesman Mahesh Mahalingam called it unreasonable to link Loures' resignation to sexual harassment allegations that were found to be unsubstantiated. "The independent investigation done by the WHO’s (World Health Organization`s) internal oversight services division clearly found that the case was unsubstantiated and recommended the case to be closed," he said. Loures will leave behind a career spanning nearly four decades, including 22 years at UNAIDS; "he clearly feels that it is time for him to move on," Mahalingam noted. Meanwhile, The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund's (UNICEF) deputy director Justin Forsyth stepped down yesterday. Forsyth's resignation came in the wake of looming concerns over his "inappropriate" comments and behaviour. Reportedly, Forsyth was accused of sending inappropriate texts to Save the Children UK's female staff. Allegedly, he also made comments on their appearance while heading the charity in 2011 and 2015.

UNAIDS deputy chief to step down over unsubstantiated allegations

Forty allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse were made during the last three months of 2017 against United Nations peacekeeping missions, agencies, funds and programs and implementing partners, the world body said on Thursday. 
 
Of the 40 accusations, 15 were reported from peacekeeping operations, 17 came from UN&nbsp;agencies, funds and programs, while eight were reported by implementing partners, said UN&nbsp;spokesman Stephane Dujarric. 
 
&quot;Every allegation involving our personnel undermines our values and principles and the sacrifice of those who serve with pride and professionalism in some of the most dangerous places in the world,&quot; Dujarric said. 
 
He said the 40 allegations involved 54 victims - 30 women and 16 girls, while the ages of eight others are unknown. Twelve cases occurred last year, seven in 2016, three in 2015 or earlier, while the dates for the rest are unknown. 
 
Two cases have been substantiated, three not substantiated, while the rest are under investigation, Dujarric said. 
 
More than 95,000 civilians and 90,000 troops and police work for the United Nations.

The United Nations has tried to increase transparency and strengthen how it deals with such accusations during the past few years after a string of sexual exploitation and abuse charges were made against UN&nbsp;peacekeepers in Central Africa. 
 
Charities in the aid sector have recently come under the spotlight and several have pledged to overhaul their approach to dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment.

The deputy director of the United Nations children&#39;s agency UNICEF, Justin Forsyth, resigned on Thursday after Save the Children UK said concerns were raised about inappropriate comments and behaviour Forsyth in 2011 and 2015 when he was the charity&#39;s chief executive.

Of the 40 accusations, 15 were reported from peacekeeping operations, 17 came from UN agencies, while 8 were reported by implementing partners

Forty allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse were made during the last three months of 2017 against United Nations peacekeeping missions, agencies, funds and programs and implementing partners, the world body said on Thursday. Of the 40 accusations, 15 were reported from peacekeeping operations, 17 came from UN agencies, funds and programs, while eight were reported by implementing partners, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. "Every allegation involving our personnel undermines our values and principles and the sacrifice of those who serve with pride and professionalism in some of the most dangerous places in the world," Dujarric said. He said the 40 allegations involved 54 victims - 30 women and 16 girls, while the ages of eight others are unknown. Twelve cases occurred last year, seven in 2016, three in 2015 or earlier, while the dates for the rest are unknown. Two cases have been substantiated, three not substantiated, while the rest are under investigation, Dujarric said. More than 95,000 civilians and 90,000 troops and police work for the United Nations. The United Nations has tried to increase transparency and strengthen how it deals with such accusations during the past few years after a string of sexual exploitation and abuse charges were made against UN peacekeepers in Central Africa. Charities in the aid sector have recently come under the spotlight and several have pledged to overhaul their approach to dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment. The deputy director of the United Nations children's agency UNICEF, Justin Forsyth, resigned on Thursday after Save the Children UK said concerns were raised about inappropriate comments and behaviour Forsyth in 2011 and 2015 when he was the charity's chief executive.

40 sex abuse accusations received last quarter of 2017: UN

The vast network of Islamist charities taken over last week by Pakistan&#39;s government includes a horse-breeding stable, a fleet of 4x4 trucks, a swimming academy, martial arts classes and tens of thousands of staff and volunteers.

Islamabad hopes that by seizing control of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) charities, which the United States says are terrorist fronts, it can stave off being included this week on a global watchlist of country&#39;s deemed to be doing too little to curb militant financing.

But the sheer scale and diversity of the charities founded by Hafiz Saeed, who is designated a terrorist by the United Nations, shows how difficult it will be for the government to even run the network, let alone track and take control of all their sources of income and funding.

Reuters visited three of JuD&#39;s main facilities - protected by close-circuit TV cameras, huge iron gates and stout-built, bearded guards - including a sprawling 200-acre headquarters in Muridke just outside the eastern city of Lahore.&nbsp;

A few government representatives were on site and new signs hung to rename the facilities, but little else appeared to have changed since the government announced it was banning the charities on February 14.

Officials said they have not yet drawn up plans on how to run the network, which includes more than 300 seminaries, schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services.

&quot;We&#39;re still collecting details about the JuD&#39;s facilities which have been taken over,&quot; a spokesman for the Punjab provincial government, Malik Mohammad Ahmad Khan, told Reuters. &quot;Our financial strategists are in consultation with the federal government to prepare a plan to run these facilities.&quot;

$10 million bounty

Hafiz Saeed is one of the founders of the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, which Washington and India blame for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. The United States has offered a $10 million reward for evidence leading to his conviction.

The LeT has been banned in Pakistan since 2002 but Saeed, who denies involvement in violence or funding militants, was freed by a Pakistani court from house arrest last year and his charity wings had been allowed to remain in operation.

Those charities are the focus of a motion co-sponsored by the United States and European allies calling for Pakistan to be placed on the terrorist financing watchlist maintained by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Member states of the FATF, an intergovernmental body that sets global standards for fighting illicit finance, were discussing the motion at a meeting in Paris this week.&nbsp;

The move is part of a broader US&nbsp;strategy to pressure Pakistan to cut its alleged links to Islamist militants.&nbsp;

Pakistan was on the FATF &quot;grey list&quot; from 2012 to 2015. Islamabad has recently been scrambling to avert being put back on the list, a measure officials fear could hurt its economy, by taking a series of measures such as amending an anti-terrorism law and banning JuD and FIF.

Saeed denounced the latter move in a fiery sermon on Friday, accusing Islamabad of caving into U.S. and Indian pressure.

&quot;It is regrettable that rulers have been bowing to external powers&quot; he said, adding that Islamabad was making the nuclear-armed nation an &quot;American colony&quot;.&nbsp;

No change&nbsp;

At JuD&#39;s Muridke headquarters, Reuters found the day-to-day management of the charity running largely as before.

Only an administrator, two school principals and a doctor had been added by the government to the facility - previously known as Markaz-e-Taiba, now renamed Government Health and Education Complex Sheikhupura - where nearly 1,000 students take classes, a JuD official, Mohammad Athar, told Reuters.&nbsp;

Five policemen had been added to the squad of 100 JuD security guards, while the rest of the staff were still working, he said, adding: &quot;We know nothing about the government`s future plans.&quot;

Besides some 500 visitors daily, Athar said, nearly 3,000 students and employees live on the site, which boasts manicured lawns, rice fields, sports grounds, hostels, residential colonies, a swimming pool and a horse stud farm.

&quot;Schoolboys swim in the pool during summer season,&quot; Athar said. &quot;There are 35 horses for their riding classes.&quot; The students play soccer, gymnastics and martial arts, he said. Cricket is prohibited, said Athar, who believes the game is &quot;a waste of time&quot;.

At JuD&#39;s Hudabya Madrassa in Chakra, on the outskirts of Rawalpindi, which caters for nearly 160 students, 22 teachers and a dozen more of staff, just a caretaker had been appointed since the government takeover.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m drawing 20,000 rupees ($200) salary a month,&quot; said a teacher, Tariq Husain. Monthly expenses for the facility could amount to 1-1.5 million rupees ($10,000-$15,000) a month, according to Reuters` estimate, based on the salaries staff reported and likely overheads of a facility that size.

&quot;People come and donate,&quot; said another teacher, Mohammad Musab. &quot;Our group mainly bear the expenses,&quot; he added, while handing out sweet milk tea and cookies to Reuters journalists.

He said a government official came and took office records on Thursday.

At a third facility, in the heart of Rawalpindi, a grand mosque was under construction, adorned with banners appealing for donations for the Muslims in Kashmir, Palestine and Syria.&nbsp;

Double game&nbsp;

Pakistan has long denied accusations from Washington, New Delhi and others that it supports Islamist militants operating in Afghanistan and disputed Kashmir.

Arif Jamal, the author of Call For Transitional Jihad: Lashkar-e-Taiba 1985-2014, said patience had run out with Pakistan&#39;s &quot;double game&quot;, and doubted the takeover of JuD and FIF would succeed in heading off further action.

&quot;My sense is that they&#39;re not likely to believe Pakistan for a long time even if Pakistan starts to take serious steps to dismantle terrorist parties,&quot; Jamal wrote from Washington in a WhatsApp reply to Reuters.

But Pakistan&#39;s former counterterrorism chief, Khawaja Khalid Farooq, said there were insufficient grounds for the country to be put back on the FATF watchlist.

&quot;I don&#39;t&nbsp;think there is any strong justification,&quot; Farooq said by phone from Dubai. &quot;There may be loopholes in our system which could be pointed out.&quot;

Pakistan&#39;s foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal told local 92 TV that Islamabad was lobbying to block the FATF motion, which he called US&nbsp;&quot;pressure tactics&quot;. 
&nbsp;

Islamabad hopes that by seizing control of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) charities it can stave off being included this week on a global watchlist of country's deemed to be doing too little to curb militant financing

The vast network of Islamist charities taken over last week by Pakistan's government includes a horse-breeding stable, a fleet of 4x4 trucks, a swimming academy, martial arts classes and tens of thousands of staff and volunteers. Islamabad hopes that by seizing control of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) charities, which the United States says are terrorist fronts, it can stave off being included this week on a global watchlist of country's deemed to be doing too little to curb militant financing. But the sheer scale and diversity of the charities founded by Hafiz Saeed, who is designated a terrorist by the United Nations, shows how difficult it will be for the government to even run the network, let alone track and take control of all their sources of income and funding. Reuters visited three of JuD's main facilities - protected by close-circuit TV cameras, huge iron gates and stout-built, bearded guards - including a sprawling 200-acre headquarters in Muridke just outside the eastern city of Lahore. A few government representatives were on site and new signs hung to rename the facilities, but little else appeared to have changed since the government announced it was banning the charities on February 14. Officials said they have not yet drawn up plans on how to run the network, which includes more than 300 seminaries, schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. "We're still collecting details about the JuD's facilities which have been taken over," a spokesman for the Punjab provincial government, Malik Mohammad Ahmad Khan, told Reuters. "Our financial strategists are in consultation with the federal government to prepare a plan to run these facilities." $10 million bounty Hafiz Saeed is one of the founders of the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, which Washington and India blame for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. The United States has offered a $10 million reward for evidence leading to his conviction. The LeT has been banned in Pakistan since 2002 but Saeed, who denies involvement in violence or funding militants, was freed by a Pakistani court from house arrest last year and his charity wings had been allowed to remain in operation. Those charities are the focus of a motion co-sponsored by the United States and European allies calling for Pakistan to be placed on the terrorist financing watchlist maintained by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Member states of the FATF, an intergovernmental body that sets global standards for fighting illicit finance, were discussing the motion at a meeting in Paris this week. The move is part of a broader US strategy to pressure Pakistan to cut its alleged links to Islamist militants. Pakistan was on the FATF "grey list" from 2012 to 2015. Islamabad has recently been scrambling to avert being put back on the list, a measure officials fear could hurt its economy, by taking a series of measures such as amending an anti-terrorism law and banning JuD and FIF. Saeed denounced the latter move in a fiery sermon on Friday, accusing Islamabad of caving into U.S. and Indian pressure. "It is regrettable that rulers have been bowing to external powers" he said, adding that Islamabad was making the nuclear-armed nation an "American colony". No change At JuD's Muridke headquarters, Reuters found the day-to-day management of the charity running largely as before. Only an administrator, two school principals and a doctor had been added by the government to the facility - previously known as Markaz-e-Taiba, now renamed Government Health and Education Complex Sheikhupura - where nearly 1,000 students take classes, a JuD official, Mohammad Athar, told Reuters. Five policemen had been added to the squad of 100 JuD security guards, while the rest of the staff were still working, he said, adding: "We know nothing about the government`s future plans." Besides some 500 visitors daily, Athar said, nearly 3,000 students and employees live on the site, which boasts manicured lawns, rice fields, sports grounds, hostels, residential colonies, a swimming pool and a horse stud farm. "Schoolboys swim in the pool during summer season," Athar said. "There are 35 horses for their riding classes." The students play soccer, gymnastics and martial arts, he said. Cricket is prohibited, said Athar, who believes the game is "a waste of time". At JuD's Hudabya Madrassa in Chakra, on the outskirts of Rawalpindi, which caters for nearly 160 students, 22 teachers and a dozen more of staff, just a caretaker had been appointed since the government takeover. "I'm drawing 20,000 rupees ($200) salary a month," said a teacher, Tariq Husain. Monthly expenses for the facility could amount to 1-1.5 million rupees ($10,000-$15,000) a month, according to Reuters` estimate, based on the salaries staff reported and likely overheads of a facility that size. "People come and donate," said another teacher, Mohammad Musab. "Our group mainly bear the expenses," he added, while handing out sweet milk tea and cookies to Reuters journalists. He said a government official came and took office records on Thursday. At a third facility, in the heart of Rawalpindi, a grand mosque was under construction, adorned with banners appealing for donations for the Muslims in Kashmir, Palestine and Syria. Double game Pakistan has long denied accusations from Washington, New Delhi and others that it supports Islamist militants operating in Afghanistan and disputed Kashmir. Arif Jamal, the author of Call For Transitional Jihad: Lashkar-e-Taiba 1985-2014, said patience had run out with Pakistan's "double game", and doubted the takeover of JuD and FIF would succeed in heading off further action. "My sense is that they're not likely to believe Pakistan for a long time even if Pakistan starts to take serious steps to dismantle terrorist parties," Jamal wrote from Washington in a WhatsApp reply to Reuters. But Pakistan's former counterterrorism chief, Khawaja Khalid Farooq, said there were insufficient grounds for the country to be put back on the FATF watchlist. "I don't think there is any strong justification," Farooq said by phone from Dubai. "There may be loopholes in our system which could be pointed out." Pakistan's foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal told local 92 TV that Islamabad was lobbying to block the FATF motion, which he called US "pressure tactics".

Seized, but not ceased: Banned charities pose challenge for Pakistan

A United Nations report has revealed that Al-Qaeda in Indian Sub-continent (AQIS) recruits personnel from remote areas of India and Bangladesh.

According to the report, close to 180 operatives of the group work as Taliban advisers and trainers in southern and eastern Afghanistan.

UN monitoring committee&#39;s 21st report of the ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaeda/Taliban Monitoring Team also states that Al-Qaeda continues to cooperate with the Taliban in return for sanctuary and operating space.

The report, dated January 26, was made public last week and assumes Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri to be in the Afghan-Pak&nbsp;border region.

According to the report, fighters from various Al-Qaeda affiliated groups in Afghanistan could number as many as 60,000.

The number of foreign fighters currently operating in Afghanistan is estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000.

Currently, there are more than 20 groups active in the war-torn country. The Taliban remains the largest, with about 40,000 to 45,000 fighters, others would include fighters from groups like ISIL and a range of Al-Qaeda affiliated entities such as TTP, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ), Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI), Jundullah, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan or IMU.

ISIL commands between 1,000 and 4,000 fighters in Afghanistan including former members of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and IMU, fighters from outside the immediate region, as well as Afghan Taliban defectors.

ISIL continues to resist and storm attacks, especially in Kabul, despite facing a clamp-down by Afghan and international military operations. While the group is in violent competition with the Taliban in some regions, in others there appears to be some mutual accommodation, the report stated.

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

According to the report, close to 180 operatives of the group work as Taliban advisers and trainers in southern and eastern Afghanistan

A United Nations report has revealed that Al-Qaeda in Indian Sub-continent (AQIS) recruits personnel from remote areas of India and Bangladesh. According to the report, close to 180 operatives of the group work as Taliban advisers and trainers in southern and eastern Afghanistan. UN monitoring committee's 21st report of the ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaeda/Taliban Monitoring Team also states that Al-Qaeda continues to cooperate with the Taliban in return for sanctuary and operating space. The report, dated January 26, was made public last week and assumes Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri to be in the Afghan-Pak border region. According to the report, fighters from various Al-Qaeda affiliated groups in Afghanistan could number as many as 60,000. The number of foreign fighters currently operating in Afghanistan is estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000. Currently, there are more than 20 groups active in the war-torn country. The Taliban remains the largest, with about 40,000 to 45,000 fighters, others would include fighters from groups like ISIL and a range of Al-Qaeda affiliated entities such as TTP, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ), Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI), Jundullah, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan or IMU. ISIL commands between 1,000 and 4,000 fighters in Afghanistan including former members of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and IMU, fighters from outside the immediate region, as well as Afghan Taliban defectors. ISIL continues to resist and storm attacks, especially in Kabul, despite facing a clamp-down by Afghan and international military operations. While the group is in violent competition with the Taliban in some regions, in others there appears to be some mutual accommodation, the report stated. (With inputs from PTI)

'Al-Qaeda in Indian Sub-continent' works as adviser of Taliban: UN report

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/24-hours-later-gun-battle-continues-between-security-forces-terrorists-in-srinagar-32678">24 hours later, </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/24-hours-later-gun-battle-continues-between-security-forces-terrorists-in-srinagar-32678">gun</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/24-hours-later-gun-battle-continues-between-security-forces-terrorists-in-srinagar-32678"> battle continues between security forces, terrorists in Srinagar</a>

Heavy firing is still underway between terrorists and security forces in Srinagar&#39;s Karan Nagar area.

One soldier was killed after two terrorists tried to enter a CRPF camp on Monday. The security men immediately opened fire as the terrorists fled the area.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-extends-ban-on-terror-groups-listed-by-un-32676">Pakistan extends ban on terror groups listed by UN</a>

After UN released a list of banned terrorist organisations, Pakistan authorities decided to extend the ban in the country.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/japanese-olympic-speed-skater-tests-positive-for-doping-report-32669">Japanese Olympic speed skater tests positive for doping: CAS</a>

Japanese short-track speed skater Kei Saito has tested positive for doping at the Pyeongchang Olympic Games, the first doping case of the Games, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said Tuesday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/phillippines-president-orders-soldier-to-shoot-women-rebels-in-their-genitals-32673">Phillippines president Duterte orders soldiers to &#39;shoot women rebels&#39; in genitals: Report</a>

Already reputed for his inappropriate language, Phillippine&#39;s president Rodrigo Duterte has again come under fire for his recent comment about women.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-offers-putin-condolences-over-plane-crash-32668">Trump offers Putin condolences over plane crash</a>

US President Donald Trump called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday to offer his condolences after a deadly plane crash near Moscow, a White House official said.

 
&nbsp;

24 hours later, gun battle continues between security forces, terrorists in Srinagar Heavy firing is still underway between terrorists and security forces in Srinagar's Karan Nagar area. One soldier was killed after two terrorists tried to enter a CRPF camp on Monday. The security men immediately opened fire as the terrorists fled the area. Pakistan extends ban on terror groups listed by UN After UN released a list of banned terrorist organisations, Pakistan authorities decided to extend the ban in the country. Japanese Olympic speed skater tests positive for doping: CAS Japanese short-track speed skater Kei Saito has tested positive for doping at the Pyeongchang Olympic Games, the first doping case of the Games, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said Tuesday. Phillippines president Duterte orders soldiers to 'shoot women rebels' in genitals: Report Already reputed for his inappropriate language, Phillippine's president Rodrigo Duterte has again come under fire for his recent comment about women. Trump offers Putin condolences over plane crash US President Donald Trump called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday to offer his condolences after a deadly plane crash near Moscow, a White House official said.

WION Morning News Brief, February 13, 2018

The current situation in Syria seems to have gotten worse since the United Nations decided to conduct a month-long humanitarian ceasefire.&nbsp;

The UN had called for an immediate ceasefire in Syria on Tuesday as heavy air strikes were reported to have killed scores of people in the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus.

The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Ali al-Za&#39;tari said on Monday that Syria has witnessed &quot;some of the worst fighting of the entire conflict&quot; since the decision.

There are reports of &quot;hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries, massive displacement and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities,&quot; Za&#39;tari said in an emailed statement.&nbsp;

Syria&rsquo;s President Bashar al-Assad is, with the support of Iranian-backed militias and the Russian air force, pursuing military offensives against insurgents in his opponents&rsquo; last major strongholds in the west of the country.

Separately, UN war crimes experts said they were investigating several reports of bombs allegedly containing chlorine gas being used against civilians in the rebel-held towns of Saraqeb in the northwestern province of Idlib and Douma in the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday&rsquo;s bombardment of Eastern Ghouta had killed 63 people. A local official, Khalil Aybour, put the toll at 53.

On Monday, air strikes killed 30 people in Eastern Ghouta, the Observatory said.

Insurgent shelling of government-held Damascus killed three people, the Observatory, and Syrian state media reported.

Air strikes also killed at least six people in rebel-held Idlib including five in Tarmala village, the Observatory said.

UN officials in Syria called for fighting to stop to enable aid deliveries and the evacuation of sick and wounded, listing seven areas of concern including northern Syria&rsquo;s Kurdish-led Afrin region, being targeted by a Turkish offensive.

&nbsp;

(With input from Reuters)&nbsp;

The UN had called for an immediate ceasefire in Syria on Tuesday as heavy air strikes were reported to have killed scores of people in the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus

The current situation in Syria seems to have gotten worse since the United Nations decided to conduct a month-long humanitarian ceasefire. The UN had called for an immediate ceasefire in Syria on Tuesday as heavy air strikes were reported to have killed scores of people in the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus. The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Ali al-Za'tari said on Monday that Syria has witnessed "some of the worst fighting of the entire conflict" since the decision. There are reports of "hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries, massive displacement and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities," Za'tari said in an emailed statement. Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad is, with the support of Iranian-backed militias and the Russian air force, pursuing military offensives against insurgents in his opponents’ last major strongholds in the west of the country. Separately, UN war crimes experts said they were investigating several reports of bombs allegedly containing chlorine gas being used against civilians in the rebel-held towns of Saraqeb in the northwestern province of Idlib and Douma in the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday’s bombardment of Eastern Ghouta had killed 63 people. A local official, Khalil Aybour, put the toll at 53. On Monday, air strikes killed 30 people in Eastern Ghouta, the Observatory said. Insurgent shelling of government-held Damascus killed three people, the Observatory, and Syrian state media reported. Air strikes also killed at least six people in rebel-held Idlib including five in Tarmala village, the Observatory said. UN officials in Syria called for fighting to stop to enable aid deliveries and the evacuation of sick and wounded, listing seven areas of concern including northern Syria’s Kurdish-led Afrin region, being targeted by a Turkish offensive. (With input from Reuters)

Situation in Syria worse since call for ceasefire: UN

France&#39;s parliament has banned lawmakers from wearing any religious symbols under a new &quot;neutral&quot; dress code, an extension of the country&#39;s strict secular rules that is seen as going too far by some critics. 
 
Under the change approved late Wednesday, members of the National Assembly must avoid &quot;the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols, uniforms, logos or commercial messages or political slogans.&quot; 
 
The regulation was brought in following an outcry over an MP wearing a football shirt in the parliament, but the inclusion of religious symbols in the new rules quickly became a talking point and a focus of attention. 
 
Until now, lawmakers were instructed to simply &quot;respect the institution&quot;, which generally meant women wearing smart clothes and men sporting a suit and tie, though this latter requirement was relaxed last year. 
 
Some 20th-century lawmakers included priests in religious garb, such as Henri Groues, better known as Abbe Pierre, and several Christian faith leaders were critical of the new restrictions on Wednesday. 
 
The head of the Protestant Federation of France, Francois Clavairoly, said the change had been made &quot;in the spirit of obsessive radical secularism.&quot; 
 
The speaker of the parliament, Francois de Rugy, defended the changes, saying they were in line with a 2004 law that banned schoolchildren and teachers from wearing conspicuous religious symbols. 
 
That was seen by critics as penalising Muslims in particular by banning headscarves and veils, but Jewish kippas were also covered by the regulations. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re adopting a framework and limits... to avoid any sort of provocation,&quot; de Rugy said. 
 
Schoolchildren, teachers -- and now lawmakers -- are allowed to wear small Christian crosses around their necks, while Jews are permitted to wear a Star of David and Muslims can carry a Hamsa amulet. 
 
The laws and rules are intended to underline France&#39;s commitment to the principle of secularism -- the separation of church and state -- which was enshrined in a flagship 1905 law. 
 
Some politicians support extending the ban on religious symbols to universities and even to the workplace, while some see secularism as camouflage for an Islamophobic campaign against the veil. 
 
Lawmakers will be allowed to deviate from the new dress rules if they can justify their appearance as traditional clothing, however. 
 
Moetai Brotherson, an MP from the French Pacific island of Tahiti, will be authorised to continue wearing his lavalava, a traditional Polynesian skirt. 
 
Far-left MP and documentary maker Francois Ruffin sparked the dress code by wearing the green-and-black shirt of amateur football club Olympique Eaucourt in parliament last year during a debate about taxing soccer transfers.

Under the change approved late Wednesday, members of the National Assembly must avoid 'the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols, uniforms, logos or commercial messages or political slogans'

France's parliament has banned lawmakers from wearing any religious symbols under a new "neutral" dress code, an extension of the country's strict secular rules that is seen as going too far by some critics. Under the change approved late Wednesday, members of the National Assembly must avoid "the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols, uniforms, logos or commercial messages or political slogans." The regulation was brought in following an outcry over an MP wearing a football shirt in the parliament, but the inclusion of religious symbols in the new rules quickly became a talking point and a focus of attention. Until now, lawmakers were instructed to simply "respect the institution", which generally meant women wearing smart clothes and men sporting a suit and tie, though this latter requirement was relaxed last year. Some 20th-century lawmakers included priests in religious garb, such as Henri Groues, better known as Abbe Pierre, and several Christian faith leaders were critical of the new restrictions on Wednesday. The head of the Protestant Federation of France, Francois Clavairoly, said the change had been made "in the spirit of obsessive radical secularism." The speaker of the parliament, Francois de Rugy, defended the changes, saying they were in line with a 2004 law that banned schoolchildren and teachers from wearing conspicuous religious symbols. That was seen by critics as penalising Muslims in particular by banning headscarves and veils, but Jewish kippas were also covered by the regulations. "We're adopting a framework and limits... to avoid any sort of provocation," de Rugy said. Schoolchildren, teachers -- and now lawmakers -- are allowed to wear small Christian crosses around their necks, while Jews are permitted to wear a Star of David and Muslims can carry a Hamsa amulet. The laws and rules are intended to underline France's commitment to the principle of secularism -- the separation of church and state -- which was enshrined in a flagship 1905 law. Some politicians support extending the ban on religious symbols to universities and even to the workplace, while some see secularism as camouflage for an Islamophobic campaign against the veil. Lawmakers will be allowed to deviate from the new dress rules if they can justify their appearance as traditional clothing, however. Moetai Brotherson, an MP from the French Pacific island of Tahiti, will be authorised to continue wearing his lavalava, a traditional Polynesian skirt. Far-left MP and documentary maker Francois Ruffin sparked the dress code by wearing the green-and-black shirt of amateur football club Olympique Eaucourt in parliament last year during a debate about taxing soccer transfers.

France's Parliament bans lawmakers from wearing religious symbols

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