Myanmar&#39;s army released a report on Monday denying all allegations of rape and killings by security forces, having days earlier replaced the general in charge of the operation that drove more than 600,000<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/tough-conditions-for-rohingya-refugees-in-bangladesh-us-official-23723" target="_blank"> Rohingya Muslims</a> to flee to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingya-group-urges-bangladesh-to-pressure-myanmar-on-return-to-ancestral-land-12444" target="_blank">Bangladesh</a>.

No reason was given for Major General Maung Maung Soe being transferred from his post as the head of Western Command in Rakhine state, where Myanmar&#39;s military, known as the Tatmadaw, launched a sweeping counter-insurgency operation in August.

&quot;I don&#39;t know the reason why he was transferred,&quot; Major General Aye Lwin, deputy director of the psychological warfare and public relation department at the Ministry of Defence, told Reuters. &quot;He wasn&#39;t moved into any position at present. He has been put in reserve.&quot;

A senior UN official, who had toured the refugee camps in Bangladesh, on Sunday accused <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-security-council-urges-myanmar-to-stop-excessive-military-force-23625" target="_blank">Myanmar&#39;s military</a> of conducting organised mass rape and other crimes against humanity.

The Myanmar military said its own internal investigation had exonerated security forces of all accusations of atrocities. The investigators&#39; findings were posted on the Facebook page of the military&#39;s commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

The developments came ahead of a visit on Wednesday by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/tillerson-to-deliver-warning-in-myanmar-over-rohingya-crisis-24063" target="_blank">US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson</a>. He is expected to deliver a stern message to Myanmar&#39;s generals, over whom national leader Aung San Suu Kyi has little control.

A spokeswoman for the US State Department, Katina Adams, said the United States was aware of reports of the general&#39;s replacement and added:

&quot;We remain gravely concerned by continuing reports of violence and human rights abuses committed by Burmese security forces and vigilantes. Those responsible for abuses must be held accountable.&quot;

Lawmakers in Washington are pressing to pass legislation imposing economic and travel sanctions targeting the military and its business interests.

In an op-ed in Britain&#39;s Guardian newspaper on Monday, Republican Representative Steve Chabot and Democratic Representative Joseph Crowley said it was time to &quot;expeditiously&quot; impose sanctions.

&quot;The US needs to send a clear message that there is no excuse for a cruel, extensive and grossly disproportionate crackdown on civilians,&quot; they said.

The government in mostly Buddhist Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, regards the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Leaders of Asian nations meeting in Manila on Monday skirted around the exodus of the Rohingya, disappointing human rights groups who were hoping for a tough stand.

Maung Maung Soe&#39;s transfer was ordered on Friday and Brigadier General Soe Tint Naing, formerly a director in logistics, was appointed as the new head of Western Command.

Made up of three divisions, Western Command is overseen by the Bureau of Special Operations, which reports to the office of Min Aung Hlaing.

A senior UN official, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39;ad al-Hussein, has described the army&#39;s actions in Rakhine as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar says the clearance operation was necessary for national security after Rohingya militants attacked 30 security posts and an army base in the state on August 25. The internal investigation put the number of fighters involved in the attacks at over 10,000, more than doubling an earlier official estimate.

Alleged atrocities

Speaking in Dhaka, Pramila Patten, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, said she would raise accusations against the Myanmar military with the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

&quot;When I return to New York, I will brief and raise the issue with the prosecutor and president of the ICC whether they (Myanmar&#39;s military) can be held responsible for these atrocities,&quot; Patten said.

&quot;Sexual violence is being commanded, orchestrated and perpetrated by the Armed Forces of Myanmar, otherwise known as the Tatmadaw,&quot; Patten said following a three-day tour of the Rohingya refugee camps in the Cox&#39;s Bazar region of Bangladesh.

&quot;Rape is an act and a weapon of genocide,&quot; she said.

Refugees have accused Myanmar soldiers and Buddhist vigilantes of torching their villages, murdering their families and raping women.

Patten said brutal acts of sexual violence had occurred in the context of collective persecution that included the killing of adults and children, torture, mutilation and the burning and looting of villages.

&quot;The forms of sexual violence we consistently heard about from survivors include gang-rape by multiple soldiers, forced public nudity and humiliation, and sexual slavery in military captivity. One survivor was in captivity for 45 days by the Myanmar army,&quot; Patten said.

Internal probe

The Myanmar military&#39;s internal probe said that according to 2,817 people interviewed from 54 Rohingya villages soldiers did not fire on &quot;innocent villagers&quot;, rape or commit sexual violence against women.

Nor were there any killings or beating of villagers, and the security forces did not carry out any looting or set fire to Rohingya mosques, it said.

The report also concluded that security forces only used small arms in clashes with Rohingya militants and there were no findings to suggest the use of &quot;excessive force&quot;.

It also blamed the militants for setting fire to the villages and frightening and coercing people to leave their homes.

Myanmar is refusing entry to a UN panel that was tasked with investigating allegations of abuses after a smaller military counteroffensive launched in October 2016.

The country is in the early stages of a fragile transition to democracy after being ruled by a junta for 49 years, and the generals have retained their autonomy on matters of defence, security and border issues under a 2008 constitution. Three generals are members of the cabinet.

Suu Kyi has said that any alleged atrocities should be substantiated and investigated, while her government is working to stabilise Rakhine in order for the Rohingya to return.

For now, though, the flow is one way. The International Rescue Committee, a New York-based aid agency, reckons that around two-thirds of an estimated 300,000 Rohingya remaining in Myanmar could head across the border in the coming months.

Myanmar's army released a report on Monday denying all allegations of rape and killings by security forces, having days earlier replaced the general in charge of the operation that drove more than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh

Myanmar's army released a report on Monday denying all allegations of rape and killings by security forces, having days earlier replaced the general in charge of the operation that drove more than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh. No reason was given for Major General Maung Maung Soe being transferred from his post as the head of Western Command in Rakhine state, where Myanmar's military, known as the Tatmadaw, launched a sweeping counter-insurgency operation in August. "I don't know the reason why he was transferred," Major General Aye Lwin, deputy director of the psychological warfare and public relation department at the Ministry of Defence, told Reuters. "He wasn't moved into any position at present. He has been put in reserve." A senior UN official, who had toured the refugee camps in Bangladesh, on Sunday accused Myanmar's military of conducting organised mass rape and other crimes against humanity. The Myanmar military said its own internal investigation had exonerated security forces of all accusations of atrocities. The investigators' findings were posted on the Facebook page of the military's commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The developments came ahead of a visit on Wednesday by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. He is expected to deliver a stern message to Myanmar's generals, over whom national leader Aung San Suu Kyi has little control. A spokeswoman for the US State Department, Katina Adams, said the United States was aware of reports of the general's replacement and added: "We remain gravely concerned by continuing reports of violence and human rights abuses committed by Burmese security forces and vigilantes. Those responsible for abuses must be held accountable." Lawmakers in Washington are pressing to pass legislation imposing economic and travel sanctions targeting the military and its business interests. In an op-ed in Britain's Guardian newspaper on Monday, Republican Representative Steve Chabot and Democratic Representative Joseph Crowley said it was time to "expeditiously" impose sanctions. "The US needs to send a clear message that there is no excuse for a cruel, extensive and grossly disproportionate crackdown on civilians," they said. The government in mostly Buddhist Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, regards the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Leaders of Asian nations meeting in Manila on Monday skirted around the exodus of the Rohingya, disappointing human rights groups who were hoping for a tough stand. Maung Maung Soe's transfer was ordered on Friday and Brigadier General Soe Tint Naing, formerly a director in logistics, was appointed as the new head of Western Command. Made up of three divisions, Western Command is overseen by the Bureau of Special Operations, which reports to the office of Min Aung Hlaing. A senior UN official, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, has described the army's actions in Rakhine as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. Myanmar says the clearance operation was necessary for national security after Rohingya militants attacked 30 security posts and an army base in the state on August 25. The internal investigation put the number of fighters involved in the attacks at over 10,000, more than doubling an earlier official estimate. Alleged atrocities Speaking in Dhaka, Pramila Patten, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, said she would raise accusations against the Myanmar military with the International Criminal Court in the Hague. "When I return to New York, I will brief and raise the issue with the prosecutor and president of the ICC whether they (Myanmar's military) can be held responsible for these atrocities," Patten said. "Sexual violence is being commanded, orchestrated and perpetrated by the Armed Forces of Myanmar, otherwise known as the Tatmadaw," Patten said following a three-day tour of the Rohingya refugee camps in the Cox's Bazar region of Bangladesh. "Rape is an act and a weapon of genocide," she said. Refugees have accused Myanmar soldiers and Buddhist vigilantes of torching their villages, murdering their families and raping women. Patten said brutal acts of sexual violence had occurred in the context of collective persecution that included the killing of adults and children, torture, mutilation and the burning and looting of villages. "The forms of sexual violence we consistently heard about from survivors include gang-rape by multiple soldiers, forced public nudity and humiliation, and sexual slavery in military captivity. One survivor was in captivity for 45 days by the Myanmar army," Patten said. Internal probe The Myanmar military's internal probe said that according to 2,817 people interviewed from 54 Rohingya villages soldiers did not fire on "innocent villagers", rape or commit sexual violence against women. Nor were there any killings or beating of villagers, and the security forces did not carry out any looting or set fire to Rohingya mosques, it said. The report also concluded that security forces only used small arms in clashes with Rohingya militants and there were no findings to suggest the use of "excessive force". It also blamed the militants for setting fire to the villages and frightening and coercing people to leave their homes. Myanmar is refusing entry to a UN panel that was tasked with investigating allegations of abuses after a smaller military counteroffensive launched in October 2016. The country is in the early stages of a fragile transition to democracy after being ruled by a junta for 49 years, and the generals have retained their autonomy on matters of defence, security and border issues under a 2008 constitution. Three generals are members of the cabinet. Suu Kyi has said that any alleged atrocities should be substantiated and investigated, while her government is working to stabilise Rakhine in order for the Rohingya to return. For now, though, the flow is one way. The International Rescue Committee, a New York-based aid agency, reckons that around two-thirds of an estimated 300,000 Rohingya remaining in Myanmar could head across the border in the coming months.

Myanmar military denies atrocities against Rohingyas, replaces general

Self-designed homes based on traditional Iraqi architecture could be the solution to the drastic housing crisis facing Mosul, where hundreds of thousands are expected to return following the end of three years of Islamic State occupation.

An award-winning design would see returning residents create their own neighbourhoods in modules that can grow and evolve to suit their needs.

&ldquo;The shape of the housing is completely up to the inhabitants,&rdquo; said Ania Otlik, the winner of inaugural Rifat Chadirji Prize, which challenged architects to find a practical and sustainable solution to the Iraqi city&rsquo;s housing needs. &ldquo;Having one measure that fits all is almost impossible, especially when it comes to such a diverse society ... which varies in religion, culture, background and family size.&rdquo;

Nearly 1 million civilians fled in the three years since Islamic State militants took the city, which Iraq declared liberated in July, according to the United Nations.

Iraqi government officials have estimated it will take at least five years and billions of dollars to rebuild Mosul.

Otlik, a graduate of Wroclaw University of Science and Technology in Poland, researched traditional Iraqi architectural designs, poring over sketches and schemes to create her housing plan.

Each dwelling is constructed around a central patio, providing outside space around which rooms and spaces can be arranged.

&ldquo;The plan of the house can be a little more open when the family decides it this way, or maybe another family is strictly Islamic so they will build it in their own traditional way,&rdquo; she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Building materials that are easy to source in the battle-scarred city - such as rubble and mud - could be used for construction until more permanent replacements become available, she said.

Otlik drew inspiration from her native Poland, whose capital Warsaw was entirely rebuilt after it was razed by Nazi troops during the Second World War.

Other finalist designs featured garden bridges over the Tigris river to provide housing and urban farms, and homes connected via a metro repurposed from a system of subterranean tunnels constructed by Islamic State to aid its fighters.

&ldquo;It was not a problem finding a winner,&rdquo; said Ahmed Al-Mallak, founding director of the independent Tamayouz Excellence Award, which oversaw the competition.

Mallak hopes the winning designs will influence Iraq&rsquo;s construction and housing minister Anne Nafi Aussi and a number of planning officials who are scheduled to attend the formal prize-giving ceremony in Jordan&rsquo;s capital Amman in December.

An award-winning design would see returning residents create their own neighbourhoods in modules that can grow and evolve to suit their needs

Self-designed homes based on traditional Iraqi architecture could be the solution to the drastic housing crisis facing Mosul, where hundreds of thousands are expected to return following the end of three years of Islamic State occupation. An award-winning design would see returning residents create their own neighbourhoods in modules that can grow and evolve to suit their needs. “The shape of the housing is completely up to the inhabitants,” said Ania Otlik, the winner of inaugural Rifat Chadirji Prize, which challenged architects to find a practical and sustainable solution to the Iraqi city’s housing needs. “Having one measure that fits all is almost impossible, especially when it comes to such a diverse society ... which varies in religion, culture, background and family size.” Nearly 1 million civilians fled in the three years since Islamic State militants took the city, which Iraq declared liberated in July, according to the United Nations. Iraqi government officials have estimated it will take at least five years and billions of dollars to rebuild Mosul. Otlik, a graduate of Wroclaw University of Science and Technology in Poland, researched traditional Iraqi architectural designs, poring over sketches and schemes to create her housing plan. Each dwelling is constructed around a central patio, providing outside space around which rooms and spaces can be arranged. “The plan of the house can be a little more open when the family decides it this way, or maybe another family is strictly Islamic so they will build it in their own traditional way,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Building materials that are easy to source in the battle-scarred city - such as rubble and mud - could be used for construction until more permanent replacements become available, she said. Otlik drew inspiration from her native Poland, whose capital Warsaw was entirely rebuilt after it was razed by Nazi troops during the Second World War. Other finalist designs featured garden bridges over the Tigris river to provide housing and urban farms, and homes connected via a metro repurposed from a system of subterranean tunnels constructed by Islamic State to aid its fighters. “It was not a problem finding a winner,” said Ahmed Al-Mallak, founding director of the independent Tamayouz Excellence Award, which oversaw the competition. Mallak hopes the winning designs will influence Iraq’s construction and housing minister Anne Nafi Aussi and a number of planning officials who are scheduled to attend the formal prize-giving ceremony in Jordan’s capital Amman in December.

Self-designed homes to provide new scope for sustainability in Mosul

The&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;government&nbsp;of Bashar al-Assad is to&nbsp;blame&nbsp;for a chemical attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun&nbsp;that killed dozens of people last April, according to a&nbsp;report&nbsp;sent to the&nbsp;United Nations Security Council on Thursday.

&quot;The&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;Arab Republic is responsible for the release of&nbsp;sarin&nbsp;at Khan Sheikhoun&nbsp;on 4&nbsp;April 2017,&quot; the&nbsp;report&nbsp;from the UN&nbsp;and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons&#39; Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) said.

The attack prompted a US&nbsp;missile strike against a&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;air base which Washington said was used to launch the strike.

&quot;Time and again, we see independent confirmation of chemical weapons use by the Assad regime,&quot; Nikki Haley, the&nbsp;United States&#39; UN&nbsp;ambassador, said in a statement.

&quot;The Security Council must send a clear message that the use of chemical weapons by anyone will not be tolerated, and must fully support the work of the impartial investigators.&quot;

The&nbsp;report&nbsp;also said ISIS was to&nbsp;blame&nbsp;for the use of sulphur mustard in the&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;town of Umm Hawsh on Sept. 15 and 16, 2016.

The JIM was&nbsp;unanimously created by the 15-member UN&nbsp;Security Council in 2015 and renewed in 2016 for another year. Its mandate is due to expire in mid-November, and Russia on Tuesday vetoed a proposal to further extend its mandate.

Russian ambassador to the UN&nbsp;Vassily Nebenzia said earlier this week Russia would consider revisiting the mandate extension after Thursday&#39;s&nbsp;report&nbsp;is discussed.

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China hopes that the conclusions of any investigation have a basis inconclusive proof and are professional, objective and fair.

&quot;The continuing use of chemical weapons, including by non-State actors, is deeply disturbing,&quot; said the&nbsp;report.

&quot;If such use, in spite of the prohibition by the international community, is not stopped now, a lack of consequences will surely encourage others to follow.&quot;

The JIM has already found&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;government&nbsp;forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015.

Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013&nbsp;under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States. The&nbsp;Syrian&nbsp;government&nbsp;has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons during the country&#39;s more than six-year civil war.

The?Syrian?government?of Bashar al-Assad is to?blame?for a chemical attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun?that killed dozens of people, the UN report said

The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad is to blame for a chemical attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun that killed dozens of people last April, according to a report sent to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday. "The Syrian Arab Republic is responsible for the release of sarin at Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April 2017," the report from the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons' Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) said. The attack prompted a US missile strike against a Syrian air base which Washington said was used to launch the strike. "Time and again, we see independent confirmation of chemical weapons use by the Assad regime," Nikki Haley, the United States' UN ambassador, said in a statement. "The Security Council must send a clear message that the use of chemical weapons by anyone will not be tolerated, and must fully support the work of the impartial investigators." The report also said ISIS was to blame for the use of sulphur mustard in the Syrian town of Umm Hawsh on Sept. 15 and 16, 2016. The JIM was unanimously created by the 15-member UN Security Council in 2015 and renewed in 2016 for another year. Its mandate is due to expire in mid-November, and Russia on Tuesday vetoed a proposal to further extend its mandate. Russian ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said earlier this week Russia would consider revisiting the mandate extension after Thursday's report is discussed. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China hopes that the conclusions of any investigation have a basis inconclusive proof and are professional, objective and fair. "The continuing use of chemical weapons, including by non-State actors, is deeply disturbing," said the report. "If such use, in spite of the prohibition by the international community, is not stopped now, a lack of consequences will surely encourage others to follow." The JIM has already found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015. Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Russia and the United States. The Syrian government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons during the country's more than six-year civil war.

Syrian government to blame for April Sarin attack: UN report

The United Nations has demanded that China immediatly release prominant human rights activists from its custody and pay them compensation as per a document which is yet to be made public.

According to a report in The Guardian, which has accessed the unreleased document, Christian church leader Hu Shigen and lawyers Zhou Shifeng and Xie Yang were detained and tried as part of an unprecedented nationwide crackdown on human rights attorneys and activists that began in July 2015. The operation saw nearly 250 people detained and questioned by police. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The report, which is yet to be released according to The Guardian, from the UN&rsquo;s human rights council says the trio had their rights violated and calls China&rsquo;s laws incompatible with international norms.

Hu was jailed for seven-and-a-half years while Zhou was sentenced to seven years on subversion charges, while Xie is awaiting a verdict.

Asking China to act within six months, the report added &ldquo;The appropriate remedy would be to release Hu Shigen, Zhou Shifeng and Xie Yang immediately, and accord them an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The UN&rsquo;s working group on arbitrary detention, which reviewed the case, rejected Chinese government claims the three men voluntarily confessed to their crimes at their trials and said their detentions were &ldquo;made in total or partial non-observance of the international norms relating to the right to a fair trial,&rdquo; according to the&nbsp;report.

The group&nbsp;comprises&nbsp;a panel of five experts that falls under the UN&rsquo;s human rights council, of which China is a member. While its judgements are not legally binding, it investigates claims of rights violations and suggests remedies.&nbsp;

Thee report, which is yet to be released, from the UN?s human rights council says the trio had their rights violated and calls China?s laws incompatible with international norms.

The United Nations has demanded that China immediatly release prominant human rights activists from its custody and pay them compensation as per a document which is yet to be made public. According to a report in The Guardian, which has accessed the unreleased document, Christian church leader Hu Shigen and lawyers Zhou Shifeng and Xie Yang were detained and tried as part of an unprecedented nationwide crackdown on human rights attorneys and activists that began in July 2015. The operation saw nearly 250 people detained and questioned by police. The report, which is yet to be released according to The Guardian, from the UN’s human rights council says the trio had their rights violated and calls China’s laws incompatible with international norms. Hu was jailed for seven-and-a-half years while Zhou was sentenced to seven years on subversion charges, while Xie is awaiting a verdict. Asking China to act within six months, the report added “The appropriate remedy would be to release Hu Shigen, Zhou Shifeng and Xie Yang immediately, and accord them an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations.” The UN’s working group on arbitrary detention, which reviewed the case, rejected Chinese government claims the three men voluntarily confessed to their crimes at their trials and said their detentions were “made in total or partial non-observance of the international norms relating to the right to a fair trial,” according to the report. The group comprises a panel of five experts that falls under the UN’s human rights council, of which China is a member. While its judgements are not legally binding, it investigates claims of rights violations and suggests remedies.

Release human rights activists, pay them compensation: UN to China

The United States announced on Thursday<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-officially-withdraws-from-punishing-paris-climate-pact-16340"> that it is withdrawing from the United Nations Scientific </a>and Cultural Organization UNESCO, accusing the body of &quot;anti-Israel bias.&quot;

&quot;The United States would be withdrawing from&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-believes-the-climate-is-changing-says-un-ambassador-nikki-haley-16401">UN&#39;s cultural and educational agency, effective</a> December 31,&quot; State Department said in a statement.

&quot;This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects US concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO,&quot; the State Department said.

&quot;The United States would seek to &quot;remain engaged ...as a non-member observer state in order to contribute US views, perspectives and expertise,&quot; the statement added.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Washington would establish an &quot;observer mission&quot; to replace its representation at the Paris-based agency.

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??OFFICIAL: UNESCO Director-General expresses profound regret at US decision to withdraw from UNESCO. <a href="https://t.co/KoOMd3Kl9H">https://t.co/KoOMd3Kl9H</a> <a href="https://t.co/Mj1BZXIOAF">https://t.co/Mj1BZXIOAF</a>
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The UNESCO chief&nbsp;expressed &#39;profound regret&rsquo; over US&#39; withdrawal.

&quot;I deeply regret the decision of the United States of America to withdraw from UNESCO,&quot; Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO said.

&quot;In 2011, when payment of membership contributions was suspended at the 36th session of the UNESCO General Conference, I said I was convinced UNESCO had never mattered as much for the United States, or the United States for UNESCO,&quot; UNESCO Director-General said in a statement.

&quot;Despite the withholding of funding, since 2011, we have deepened the partnership between the United States and UNESCO, which has never been so meaningful,&quot; Bokova said.

Paris-based UNESCO, which began work in 1946, is known for designating World Heritage sites such as the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria and the Grand Canyon National Park.

The United States had cancelled its substantial budget contribution to 58-member UNESCO in 2011 in protest at a decision to grant the Palestinians full membership.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Washington would establish an "observer mission" to replace its representation at the Paris-based agency.

The United States announced on Thursday that it is withdrawing from the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO, accusing the body of "anti-Israel bias." "The United States would be withdrawing from UN's cultural and educational agency, effective December 31," State Department said in a statement. "This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects US concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO," the State Department said. "The United States would seek to "remain engaged ...as a non-member observer state in order to contribute US views, perspectives and expertise," the statement added. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Washington would establish an "observer mission" to replace its representation at the Paris-based agency. ??OFFICIAL: UNESCO Director-General expresses profound regret at US decision to withdraw from UNESCO. https://t.co/KoOMd3Kl9H https://t.co/Mj1BZXIOAF — UNESCO (@UNESCO) October 12, 2017 × The UNESCO chief expressed 'profound regret’ over US' withdrawal. "I deeply regret the decision of the United States of America to withdraw from UNESCO," Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO said. "In 2011, when payment of membership contributions was suspended at the 36th session of the UNESCO General Conference, I said I was convinced UNESCO had never mattered as much for the United States, or the United States for UNESCO," UNESCO Director-General said in a statement. "Despite the withholding of funding, since 2011, we have deepened the partnership between the United States and UNESCO, which has never been so meaningful," Bokova said. Paris-based UNESCO, which began work in 1946, is known for designating World Heritage sites such as the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria and the Grand Canyon National Park. The United States had cancelled its substantial budget contribution to 58-member UNESCO in 2011 in protest at a decision to grant the Palestinians full membership.

US withdraws from UNESCO over 'anti-Israel bias'

The attack took place in Beni where UN soldiers have been battling the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which is dominated by hardline Ugandan Muslims, a spokesman for the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo said.

Congolese troops had clashed with the rebels in the area on Sunday. The day before, the ADF attacked around 10 motorbike taxis in the locality.

&quot;The Mamundioma base was attacked at 5:30 am (0330 GMT),&quot; the UN mission known by its French acronym MONUSCO said, adding that UN ground and air forces had been deployed in the area.

The UN did not specify the nationality of the dead soldier or the injured.&nbsp;

Rich in precious minerals, the east of DRC has been unstable for 20 years.&nbsp;

Several dozen local and foreign armed groups stand accused of serious rights abuses against civilians, such as rape, killings and abductions.

The ADF has been accused by Kinshasa and the UN mission of killing more than 700 people in the Beni region since October 2014.

Congolese troops had clashed with the rebels in the area on Sunday

The attack took place in Beni where UN soldiers have been battling the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which is dominated by hardline Ugandan Muslims, a spokesman for the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo said. Congolese troops had clashed with the rebels in the area on Sunday. The day before, the ADF attacked around 10 motorbike taxis in the locality. "The Mamundioma base was attacked at 5:30 am (0330 GMT)," the UN mission known by its French acronym MONUSCO said, adding that UN ground and air forces had been deployed in the area. The UN did not specify the nationality of the dead soldier or the injured. Rich in precious minerals, the east of DRC has been unstable for 20 years. Several dozen local and foreign armed groups stand accused of serious rights abuses against civilians, such as rape, killings and abductions. The ADF has been accused by Kinshasa and the UN mission of killing more than 700 people in the Beni region since October 2014.

Peacekeeper killed in attack on DR Congo base: UN

Bangladesh opened talks with neighbouring Myanmar on Monday with the aim of securing the return of more than half a million Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, most of whom have arrived since late August.

The United Nations has called the exodus of 507,000 Rohingya since Aug. 25 the world&#39;s fastest-developing refugee emergency and says Buddhist-majority Myanmar is engaging in ethnic cleansing against its Rohingya Muslim minority.

Myanmar rejects that, Its forces launched an offensive in the north of Rakhine state in response to coordinated attacks by Rohingya insurgents on Aug 25.

Myanmar blames the insurgents for attacks on civilians and for setting most of the fires that have reduced more than half of more than 400 Rohingya villages in the north of Rakhine to ashes. The insurgents deny that.

Myanmar says more than 500 people have been killed in the latest violence, most of the insurgents.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for an end to the violence and for safe zones to be set up in Myanmar to enable refugees to return.

She has also called for a U.N. fact-finding mission to go to Myanmar and for Myanmar to implement recommendations on solving problems in Rakhine drawn up by a team led by former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan.

Bangladesh would focus on those five proposals in talks in Dhaka on Monday between Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and Myanmar government official Kyaw Tint Swe, in particular, the return of the refugees, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry official said.

&quot;We don&#39;t think this crisis is going to be resolved in just one meeting,&quot; said the official who declined to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to media.

The crisis over Myanmar&#39;s treatment of the Rohingya is the biggest problem national leader Aung San Suu Kyi has had to face since forming a government last year after winning a landmark election in late 2015.

The Nobel peace laureate, in an address to the nation last month, said Myanmar was ready to start a verification process under a 1993 agreement with Bangladesh and &quot;refugees from this country will be accepted without any problem&quot;.

There were already about 300,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh before the latest exodus.

In Myanmar, the government took diplomats to Rakhine to let them see the situation.

&quot;Maungdaw feels like a ghost town,&quot; Swiss ambassador Paul Seger said on Twitter, as he arrived in the main town in the north of Rakhine.

Myanmar has blocked most aid workers and the media from the area despite calls from Western countries for access to deal with what aid groups fear is an unfolding humanitarian crisis on both sides of the border.

PROTEST

Suu Kyi has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out strongly enough on behalf of the long-persecuted minority and of defending the army action.

The Rohingya are denied citizenship and classified as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots in Myanmar that go back centuries, with communities marginalised and occasionally subjected to communal violence.

Suu Kyi has no power over security policy under a military-drafted constitution and the public in Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has surged over recent years, largely supports the offensive against the insurgents.

The United States, in its strongest criticism of Myanmar over the crisis, called last week on countries to suspend providing weapons to Myanmar&#39;s military. But it stopped short of threatening to reimpose sanctions, which were suspended under the Obama administration.

A protest against Western pressure and foreign media coverage of the crisis is planned in the biggest city of Yangon on Monday.

Myanmar has refused to grant access to a U.N. fact-finding mission but Suu Kyi appointed Annan last year to lead an advisory commission and propose solutions.

The commission presented its recommendations on Aug. 24, a day before the insurgent attacks sparked the latest crisis, among them a review of a law that links citizenship and ethnicity and leaves most Rohingya stateless.

The panel also recommended that the government hold perpetrators of rights violations accountable, ensure the right to freedom of movement for everyone in Rakhine and invest in infrastructure to lift the state out of poverty.

Suu Kyi, in her address to the nation last month, said she was committed to the recommendations.

The United Nations has called the exodus of 507,000 Rohingya since Aug. 25 the world's fastest-developing refugee emergency and says Buddhist-majority Myanmar is engaging in ethnic cleansing against its Rohingya Muslim minority

Bangladesh opened talks with neighbouring Myanmar on Monday with the aim of securing the return of more than half a million Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, most of whom have arrived since late August. The United Nations has called the exodus of 507,000 Rohingya since Aug. 25 the world's fastest-developing refugee emergency and says Buddhist-majority Myanmar is engaging in ethnic cleansing against its Rohingya Muslim minority. Myanmar rejects that, Its forces launched an offensive in the north of Rakhine state in response to coordinated attacks by Rohingya insurgents on Aug 25. Myanmar blames the insurgents for attacks on civilians and for setting most of the fires that have reduced more than half of more than 400 Rohingya villages in the north of Rakhine to ashes. The insurgents deny that. Myanmar says more than 500 people have been killed in the latest violence, most of the insurgents. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for an end to the violence and for safe zones to be set up in Myanmar to enable refugees to return. She has also called for a U.N. fact-finding mission to go to Myanmar and for Myanmar to implement recommendations on solving problems in Rakhine drawn up by a team led by former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan. Bangladesh would focus on those five proposals in talks in Dhaka on Monday between Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and Myanmar government official Kyaw Tint Swe, in particular, the return of the refugees, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry official said. "We don't think this crisis is going to be resolved in just one meeting," said the official who declined to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to media. The crisis over Myanmar's treatment of the Rohingya is the biggest problem national leader Aung San Suu Kyi has had to face since forming a government last year after winning a landmark election in late 2015. The Nobel peace laureate, in an address to the nation last month, said Myanmar was ready to start a verification process under a 1993 agreement with Bangladesh and "refugees from this country will be accepted without any problem". There were already about 300,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh before the latest exodus. In Myanmar, the government took diplomats to Rakhine to let them see the situation. "Maungdaw feels like a ghost town," Swiss ambassador Paul Seger said on Twitter, as he arrived in the main town in the north of Rakhine. Myanmar has blocked most aid workers and the media from the area despite calls from Western countries for access to deal with what aid groups fear is an unfolding humanitarian crisis on both sides of the border. PROTEST Suu Kyi has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out strongly enough on behalf of the long-persecuted minority and of defending the army action. The Rohingya are denied citizenship and classified as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots in Myanmar that go back centuries, with communities marginalised and occasionally subjected to communal violence. Suu Kyi has no power over security policy under a military-drafted constitution and the public in Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has surged over recent years, largely supports the offensive against the insurgents. The United States, in its strongest criticism of Myanmar over the crisis, called last week on countries to suspend providing weapons to Myanmar's military. But it stopped short of threatening to reimpose sanctions, which were suspended under the Obama administration. A protest against Western pressure and foreign media coverage of the crisis is planned in the biggest city of Yangon on Monday. Myanmar has refused to grant access to a U.N. fact-finding mission but Suu Kyi appointed Annan last year to lead an advisory commission and propose solutions. The commission presented its recommendations on Aug. 24, a day before the insurgent attacks sparked the latest crisis, among them a review of a law that links citizenship and ethnicity and leaves most Rohingya stateless. The panel also recommended that the government hold perpetrators of rights violations accountable, ensure the right to freedom of movement for everyone in Rakhine and invest in infrastructure to lift the state out of poverty. Suu Kyi, in her address to the nation last month, said she was committed to the recommendations.

Bangladesh to press for Muslim refugees' return to Myanmar

UN chief Antonio Guterres exhorted Myanmar&#39;s leaders to end the &quot;nightmare&quot; faced by Rohingya refugees fleeing an army campaign, after at least 19 people drowned with scores more feared dead when a boat carrying Rohingya families capsized off Bangladesh.&nbsp;

More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have poured into Bangladesh in the last month, fleeing a vicious Myanmar military crackdown on Rohingya rebels that has gutted villages across northern Rakhine state.

Scores have drowned while trying to cross waters separating the two countries, while those who survive face new dangers as they cram into squalid refugee settlements where food and clean water are in short supply.

The billowing humanitarian crisis prompted the UN Security Council to hold its first meeting on Myanmar in eight years, though the member countries failed to arrive at a joint resolution.&nbsp;

The US slammed the army for trying &quot;to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority&quot;, while Beijing and Moscow offered support to Myanmar authorities who have vehemently rebuffed allegations that ethnic cleansing is underway.

Speaking to the 15-member council, Guterres urged Myanmar to halt military operations and open humanitarian access to the conflict-wracked western region.

&quot;The situation has spiralled into the world&#39;s fastest developing refugee emergency, a humanitarian and human rights nightmare,&quot; he said while calling for those displaced by the conflict to be allowed to return home.

The UN chief noted that the &quot;systemic violence&quot; could cause unrest to spill south to the central part of Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state, threatening 250,000 Muslims with displacement.&nbsp;

Some of the strongest criticism came from US envoy Nikki Haley, who accused Myanmar authorities of waging a &quot;brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority&quot;.

&quot;It should shame senior Burmese leaders who have sacrificed so much for an open, democratic Myanmar,&quot; she added, in what appeared to be a rebuke to the country&#39;s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose reputation as a human rights champion has been battered by the crisis.

But Myanmar received strong backing from Russia and China, a close ally and key trade partner.&nbsp;

&quot;The international community must be aware of the difficulties faced by the Burmese government, be patient and provide its assistance,&quot; Chinese envoy Wu Haitao said.&nbsp;

&quot;We must be very careful when we talk about ethnic cleansing and genocide,&quot; added Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, taking the Myanmar government line as he blamed Rohingya militants for &quot;burning villages&quot;.

Fires have razed hundreds of communities in northern Rakhine over the past month, in what rights groups say is an army-led effort to drive out the stateless minority that has faced decades of persecution.&nbsp;

Myanmar, a mainly Buddhist country, has denied the allegation and defended its operations as a proportionate crackdown on the Rohingya militants whose deadly raids on police posts on August 25 sparked the military backlash.&nbsp;

Authorities have restricted access to the epicentre of the violence but agreed this week to allow a UN visit to the conflict zone.&nbsp;

The trip has been postponed to October 2 due to bad weather, state media reported Friday.&nbsp;

Boat tragedy&nbsp;

The drowning tragedy is the latest in a series of deadly accidents as desperate refugees surge into Bangladesh, where they are penned into ramshackle tent cities amid dire shortages of nearly all forms of aid.

Witnesses and survivors said the vessel that overturned Thursday was just metres from the coast in rough waters after it was lashed by torrential rain and high winds.

There are fears the death toll could rise sharply with the International Organization for Migration saying about 100 people, mainly children, were believed aboard the downed vessel.

The bodies of 16 people, mostly children, were found Thursday and brought to a local school, said coastguard commander Nasir Uddin.

Two more bodies of young boys were retrieved Friday morning, he added, while another woman was washed ashore in a separate location.

&quot;They drowned before our eyes. Minutes later, the waves washed the bodies to the beach,&quot; said Mohammad Sohel, a local shopkeeper.

One distraught survivor said&nbsp;that his wife and one of their children had been killed when the ship sank.

&quot;The boat hit something underground as it came close to the beach. Then it overturned,&quot; said Nurus Salam, who had set off for Bangladesh from a coastal village in Myanmar late Wednesday with his family.

More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have poured into Bangladesh in the last month, fleeing a vicious Myanmar military crackdown on Rohingya rebels that has gutted villages across northern Rakhine state

UN chief Antonio Guterres exhorted Myanmar's leaders to end the "nightmare" faced by Rohingya refugees fleeing an army campaign, after at least 19 people drowned with scores more feared dead when a boat carrying Rohingya families capsized off Bangladesh. More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have poured into Bangladesh in the last month, fleeing a vicious Myanmar military crackdown on Rohingya rebels that has gutted villages across northern Rakhine state. Scores have drowned while trying to cross waters separating the two countries, while those who survive face new dangers as they cram into squalid refugee settlements where food and clean water are in short supply. The billowing humanitarian crisis prompted the UN Security Council to hold its first meeting on Myanmar in eight years, though the member countries failed to arrive at a joint resolution. The US slammed the army for trying "to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority", while Beijing and Moscow offered support to Myanmar authorities who have vehemently rebuffed allegations that ethnic cleansing is underway. Speaking to the 15-member council, Guterres urged Myanmar to halt military operations and open humanitarian access to the conflict-wracked western region. "The situation has spiralled into the world's fastest developing refugee emergency, a humanitarian and human rights nightmare," he said while calling for those displaced by the conflict to be allowed to return home. The UN chief noted that the "systemic violence" could cause unrest to spill south to the central part of Myanmar's Rakhine state, threatening 250,000 Muslims with displacement. Some of the strongest criticism came from US envoy Nikki Haley, who accused Myanmar authorities of waging a "brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority". "It should shame senior Burmese leaders who have sacrificed so much for an open, democratic Myanmar," she added, in what appeared to be a rebuke to the country's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose reputation as a human rights champion has been battered by the crisis. But Myanmar received strong backing from Russia and China, a close ally and key trade partner. "The international community must be aware of the difficulties faced by the Burmese government, be patient and provide its assistance," Chinese envoy Wu Haitao said. "We must be very careful when we talk about ethnic cleansing and genocide," added Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, taking the Myanmar government line as he blamed Rohingya militants for "burning villages". Fires have razed hundreds of communities in northern Rakhine over the past month, in what rights groups say is an army-led effort to drive out the stateless minority that has faced decades of persecution. Myanmar, a mainly Buddhist country, has denied the allegation and defended its operations as a proportionate crackdown on the Rohingya militants whose deadly raids on police posts on August 25 sparked the military backlash. Authorities have restricted access to the epicentre of the violence but agreed this week to allow a UN visit to the conflict zone. The trip has been postponed to October 2 due to bad weather, state media reported Friday. Boat tragedy The drowning tragedy is the latest in a series of deadly accidents as desperate refugees surge into Bangladesh, where they are penned into ramshackle tent cities amid dire shortages of nearly all forms of aid. Witnesses and survivors said the vessel that overturned Thursday was just metres from the coast in rough waters after it was lashed by torrential rain and high winds. There are fears the death toll could rise sharply with the International Organization for Migration saying about 100 people, mainly children, were believed aboard the downed vessel. The bodies of 16 people, mostly children, were found Thursday and brought to a local school, said coastguard commander Nasir Uddin. Two more bodies of young boys were retrieved Friday morning, he added, while another woman was washed ashore in a separate location. "They drowned before our eyes. Minutes later, the waves washed the bodies to the beach," said Mohammad Sohel, a local shopkeeper. One distraught survivor said that his wife and one of their children had been killed when the ship sank. "The boat hit something underground as it came close to the beach. Then it overturned," said Nurus Salam, who had set off for Bangladesh from a coastal village in Myanmar late Wednesday with his family.

UN chief tells Myanmar to end 'nightmare' as 19 drown in Rohingya boat capsize

The United States accused Myanmar Thursday of the&nbsp;ethnic&nbsp;cleansing&nbsp;of minority&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;Muslims, saying the bloodshed in Rakhine state had shamed Aung Sang&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&#39;s government.

Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting, US Ambassador Nikki Haley pressed for members of Myanmar&#39;s military to face action from the global body in response to the violence and expressed sharp criticism of the civilian government.&nbsp;

&quot;We cannot be afraid to call the actions of the Burmese authorities what they appear to be&nbsp;a brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an&nbsp;ethnic&nbsp;minority,&quot; said Haley.

&quot;And it should shame senior Burmese leaders who have sacrificed so much for an open, democratic Myanmar&quot; she added.

&quot;The time for well-meaning, diplomatic words in this council has passed. We must now consider action against Burmese security forces who are implicated in abuses and stoking hatred among their fellow citizens.&quot;

More than half a million&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;Muslims have fled from Rakhine in western Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh in the last month after a militant attack sparked a vicious military campaign.

While the UN has previously called the violent&nbsp;ethnic&nbsp;cleansing, Haley&#39;s comments mark the strong criticism yet from Washington.

Suu&nbsp;Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate who is the de facto head of government, has been widely berated for failing to speak up for the&nbsp;Rohingya&nbsp;minority.

But her supporters say the 72-year-old lacks the power to rein in the army, with whom she has been in a delicate power-sharing arrangement since elections in 2015.

Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting, US Ambassador Nikki Haley pressed for members of Myanmar's military to face action from the global body in response to the violence and expressed sharp criticism of the civilian government

The United States accused Myanmar Thursday of the ethnic cleansing of minority Rohingya Muslims, saying the bloodshed in Rakhine state had shamed Aung Sang Suu Kyi's government. Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting, US Ambassador Nikki Haley pressed for members of Myanmar's military to face action from the global body in response to the violence and expressed sharp criticism of the civilian government. "We cannot be afraid to call the actions of the Burmese authorities what they appear to be a brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority," said Haley. "And it should shame senior Burmese leaders who have sacrificed so much for an open, democratic Myanmar" she added. "The time for well-meaning, diplomatic words in this council has passed. We must now consider action against Burmese security forces who are implicated in abuses and stoking hatred among their fellow citizens." More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have fled from Rakhine in western Myanmar to neighboring Bangladesh in the last month after a militant attack sparked a vicious military campaign. While the UN has previously called the violent ethnic cleansing, Haley's comments mark the strong criticism yet from Washington. Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate who is the de facto head of government, has been widely berated for failing to speak up for the Rohingya minority. But her supporters say the 72-year-old lacks the power to rein in the army, with whom she has been in a delicate power-sharing arrangement since elections in 2015.

US says Rohingya 'ethnic cleansing' shames Suu Kyi govt

Indian diplomat Paulomi Tripathi Monday said Pakistan&#39;s<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-blooper-un-envoy-uses-injured-palestinians-pic-as-evidence-of-atrocities-in-kashmir-20575"> Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi sought</a> to &quot;divert attention from Pakistan&#39;s role as a hub of global terrorism&quot;.

In her right to reply at the UN, the Indian diplomat said the &quot;permanent representative of Pakistan callously held picture of an injured girl which was actually a picture of Rawya abu Jom from Palestine&quot;.

&quot;We are constrained to show a photo that reflects real picture of pain inflicted by nefarious designs of Pakistan on India,&quot;&nbsp;the Indian diplomat said.

&quot;This is a real picture, of Lt Ummer Fayaz, a young officer from J&amp;K. He was brutally tortured and killed by Pakistan supported terrorists,&quot;&nbsp;Paulomi Tripathi said while holding out the picture of the officer.

&quot;This is the reality that Permanent Representative&nbsp;of Pakistan (Maleeha Lodhi) sought to obfuscate,&quot; Paulomi Tripathi said.

&quot;Pakistan misled the assembly by displaying the picture to spread falsehoods about India. Fake picture to push a completely false narrative,&quot;&nbsp;she added.

On Sunday, Pakistan&#39;s Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi in her right to reply to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj&#39;s speech at the UN showed pictures of Palestinian victims and said they were &quot;evidence&quot; of atrocities on Kashmiris.

Maleeha Lodhi waved dramatic pictures of a girl with pellet injuries on her face and added, &quot;this was the face of Indian democracy&quot;, while suggesting that Kashmiris had been injured by pellet guns.

However, upon closer inspection of the picture, Maleeha Lodhi&#39;s claim seemed to have boomeranged on her.

The picture used by Pakistan&#39;s Ambassador to the UN was reported by a number of media outlets as that of Rawia Abu Joma&#39;a, a 17-year-old girl injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza city in 2014.

Rawia&#39;s picture was taken by award-winning photographer Heidi Levine.

Indian diplomat Paulomi Tripathi?today said Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi sought to "divert attention from Pakistan's role as a hub of global terrorism".

Indian diplomat Paulomi Tripathi Monday said Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi sought to "divert attention from Pakistan's role as a hub of global terrorism". In her right to reply at the UN, the Indian diplomat said the "permanent representative of Pakistan callously held picture of an injured girl which was actually a picture of Rawya abu Jom from Palestine". "We are constrained to show a photo that reflects real picture of pain inflicted by nefarious designs of Pakistan on India," the Indian diplomat said. "This is a real picture, of Lt Ummer Fayaz, a young officer from J&K. He was brutally tortured and killed by Pakistan supported terrorists," Paulomi Tripathi said while holding out the picture of the officer. "This is the reality that Permanent Representative of Pakistan (Maleeha Lodhi) sought to obfuscate," Paulomi Tripathi said. "Pakistan misled the assembly by displaying the picture to spread falsehoods about India. Fake picture to push a completely false narrative," she added. On Sunday, Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi in her right to reply to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's speech at the UN showed pictures of Palestinian victims and said they were "evidence" of atrocities on Kashmiris. Maleeha Lodhi waved dramatic pictures of a girl with pellet injuries on her face and added, "this was the face of Indian democracy", while suggesting that Kashmiris had been injured by pellet guns. However, upon closer inspection of the picture, Maleeha Lodhi's claim seemed to have boomeranged on her. The picture used by Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN was reported by a number of media outlets as that of Rawia Abu Joma'a, a 17-year-old girl injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza city in 2014. Rawia's picture was taken by award-winning photographer Heidi Levine.

Calling Pakistan's bluff, India brings up killing of Lt Ummer Fayaz at UN

India has urged the UN Security Council to ensure that the first and foremost duty of international community is to ensure&nbsp;that the forces of terrorism and extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens anywhere and at any level.

&quot;We must not differentiate between good and bad terrorists, or play one group against the other. The Taliban, Haqqani Network, AI-Qaeda, Daesh,&nbsp;Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and others of their like are all terror organisations, many of them proscribed by the UN,&quot; said Syed Akbaruddin&nbsp;yesterday, India&#39;s Permanent Representative to the UN.

&quot;The international community cannot remain silent. It is the international community&#39;s first and foremost duty to ensure that the forces of terrorism and&nbsp;extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens anywhere and at any level,&quot; he said in an apparent dig at Pakistan.

Participating in an open debate of the UN Security Council on Afghanistan, Akbaruddin said that these terrorist groups should be treated like terrorist&nbsp;organisations with no justifications offered for their activities.

Noting that the situation in Afghanistan has remained particularly painful and disturbing with security worsening and visible signs of withering away of the&nbsp;gains by the international community and Afghan people, the top Indian envoy said that the incessant attacks on hospitals, schools, funerals, or&nbsp;international development agencies, diplomatic missions are a matter of serious concern.

&quot;The multiple crises that have been inflicted on Afghanistan have made Afghan territory attractive for criminal and terrorist groups, who are well&nbsp;connected to international terror and crime networks.&quot;These groups are stealing the resources of Afghanistan which ought to belong to the people of the country,&quot; he said.

Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani joined Akbaruddin in identifying terrorist safe havens across the border.

&quot;The scourge of terrorism and violent extremism affecting Afghanistan is the product of a long-standing policy by a neighbouring State to keep&nbsp;Afghanistan unstable,&quot; he said.

&quot;It has menaced Afghanistan for several decades now, with its roots located in terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens outside of my country,&quot; Rabbani&nbsp;said, adding that the new strategy of the United States for South Asia has generated new hope among people across the country.

Afghans from all walks of life are looking to the future with renewed optimism that finally the threats of terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan and the&nbsp;wider region will be tackled appropriately.

&quot;In this connection, we welcome the fact that the new strategy recognises the critical need to address the lingering problem of terrorist safe-havens and&nbsp;sanctuaries in our region; and for more determined efforts to end political, logistical and financial support enjoyed by terrorist groups,&quot; he said.

&quot;Furthermore, the strategy&#39;s conditions-based approach has addressed some uncertainties by reinforcing the right message that the international&nbsp;community&#39;s engagement will endure until Afghanistan becomes stable and secure,&quot; Rabbani said.

Representing the European Union, Joanne Adamson, stressed that it is important that the international community remains strongly committed to&nbsp;accompany Afghanistan towards long-term peace, security, and stability.

Eshagh AI-Habib from Iran ruled that more than a decade after its invasion, Afghanistan, the region and the world is not any safer.

&quot;I need to reiterate, once again that deteriorating security in Afghanistan has its deeper roots and cannot be addressed solely through military buildup as&nbsp;some suggest,&quot; he said.

Taliban and self-proclaimed Islamic State Khorasan Province or ISIL-KP continue their heinous attacks against the civilian population.

They are reinforcing and recruiting and undertaking complex attacks such as the attack on a Shia mosque in Herat on the first and 25 August that killed&nbsp;over 90 and 28 people respectively or August attack in Sar-e Pul province during which at least 36 people were killed, as in Herat, the majority of the&nbsp;documented casualties were Shia, he said.

&quot;The proliferation of terrorist groups in the Afghan territory necessitates concerted international effort on counter-terrorism.

&quot;The world needs to deal with this increasing threat in a comprehensive manner,&quot; the Iranian diplomat said.

The Turkish representative expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation and the presence of Daesh in the country.

&quot;Increased cooperation among the countries of the region is imperative for the success of Afghanistan,&quot; he said.

India has urged the UN Security Council to ensure that the first and foremost duty of international community is to ensure?that the forces of terrorism and extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens anywhere and at any level

India has urged the UN Security Council to ensure that the first and foremost duty of international community is to ensure that the forces of terrorism and extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens anywhere and at any level. "We must not differentiate between good and bad terrorists, or play one group against the other. The Taliban, Haqqani Network, AI-Qaeda, Daesh, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and others of their like are all terror organisations, many of them proscribed by the UN," said Syed Akbaruddin yesterday, India's Permanent Representative to the UN. "The international community cannot remain silent. It is the international community's first and foremost duty to ensure that the forces of terrorism and extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens anywhere and at any level," he said in an apparent dig at Pakistan. Participating in an open debate of the UN Security Council on Afghanistan, Akbaruddin said that these terrorist groups should be treated like terrorist organisations with no justifications offered for their activities. Noting that the situation in Afghanistan has remained particularly painful and disturbing with security worsening and visible signs of withering away of the gains by the international community and Afghan people, the top Indian envoy said that the incessant attacks on hospitals, schools, funerals, or international development agencies, diplomatic missions are a matter of serious concern. "The multiple crises that have been inflicted on Afghanistan have made Afghan territory attractive for criminal and terrorist groups, who are well connected to international terror and crime networks."These groups are stealing the resources of Afghanistan which ought to belong to the people of the country," he said. Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani joined Akbaruddin in identifying terrorist safe havens across the border. "The scourge of terrorism and violent extremism affecting Afghanistan is the product of a long-standing policy by a neighbouring State to keep Afghanistan unstable," he said. "It has menaced Afghanistan for several decades now, with its roots located in terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens outside of my country," Rabbani said, adding that the new strategy of the United States for South Asia has generated new hope among people across the country. Afghans from all walks of life are looking to the future with renewed optimism that finally the threats of terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan and the wider region will be tackled appropriately. "In this connection, we welcome the fact that the new strategy recognises the critical need to address the lingering problem of terrorist safe-havens and sanctuaries in our region; and for more determined efforts to end political, logistical and financial support enjoyed by terrorist groups," he said. "Furthermore, the strategy's conditions-based approach has addressed some uncertainties by reinforcing the right message that the international community's engagement will endure until Afghanistan becomes stable and secure," Rabbani said. Representing the European Union, Joanne Adamson, stressed that it is important that the international community remains strongly committed to accompany Afghanistan towards long-term peace, security, and stability. Eshagh AI-Habib from Iran ruled that more than a decade after its invasion, Afghanistan, the region and the world is not any safer. "I need to reiterate, once again that deteriorating security in Afghanistan has its deeper roots and cannot be addressed solely through military buildup as some suggest," he said. Taliban and self-proclaimed Islamic State Khorasan Province or ISIL-KP continue their heinous attacks against the civilian population. They are reinforcing and recruiting and undertaking complex attacks such as the attack on a Shia mosque in Herat on the first and 25 August that killed over 90 and 28 people respectively or August attack in Sar-e Pul province during which at least 36 people were killed, as in Herat, the majority of the documented casualties were Shia, he said. "The proliferation of terrorist groups in the Afghan territory necessitates concerted international effort on counter-terrorism. "The world needs to deal with this increasing threat in a comprehensive manner," the Iranian diplomat said. The Turkish representative expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation and the presence of Daesh in the country. "Increased cooperation among the countries of the region is imperative for the success of Afghanistan," he said.

India, Afghanistan raise terrorist safe havens at UN Security Council meet

&nbsp;Russia is committing &quot;grave&quot;&nbsp;human&nbsp;rights&nbsp;violations in&nbsp;Crimea, including its imposition of citizenship and by deporting prisoners, a U.N.&nbsp;human&nbsp;rights&nbsp;report said on Monday.

&quot;Grave&nbsp;human&nbsp;rights&nbsp;violations, such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, ill-treatment and torture, and at least one extra-judicial execution were documented,&quot; the report said.

Russian&nbsp;authorities did not allow the U.N. investigation to enter the Crimean territory.

Russia occupied&nbsp;Crimea&nbsp;in 2014 and replaced Ukrainian laws with&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;laws, but its annexation has never been internationally recognised. The U.N. General Assembly ordered the human&nbsp;rights&nbsp;investigation in December 2016.

&quot;Imposing citizenship on the inhabitants of an occupied territory can be equated to compelling them to swear allegiance to a power they may consider as hostile, which is forbidden under the Fourth Geneva Convention,&quot; U.N.&nbsp;human&nbsp;rights&nbsp;chief Zeid Ra&#39;ad al Hussein said in a statement.

Russia had also broken international law by transporting detainees and prisoners from&nbsp;Crimea&nbsp;to Russia, the report said.

When it occupied&nbsp;Crimea, Russia automatically recognised all Ukrainians on the peninsula as Russian&nbsp;citizens, unless they sent a written rejection.

As of May 2015, about 100,000 people, about 4 percent of&nbsp;Crimea&#39;s population, did not have Russian&nbsp;citizenship, the report said, citing a&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;official.

About 19,000 people - mainly civil servants wanting to keep their jobs under Russia&#39;s de facto rule - were effectively forced to renounce their Ukrainian citizenship, the report said.

Russia says a March 2014 referendum legitimised its &quot;incorporation&quot; of&nbsp;Crimea. Opponents of the referendum have been targeted by laws against terrorism, extremism and separatism, and some have been forcibly interned in psychiatric institutions, the report said.

Many media outlets have been shut down and all&nbsp;Crimea&#39;s 22 congregations of Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses have been effectively outlawed, the report said.

Education in Ukrainian has almost disappeared and Russia has banned the Mejlis, a body representing&nbsp;Crimean Tatars, whose members have been subjected to intimidation, house searches and detention, the report said.

Russia is a veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, which means it can block any attempt to hold it to account.

But Fiona Frazer, head of the U.N. office in Ukraine that produced the report, said it was important to document what was happening in&nbsp;Crimea&nbsp;so that victims could record the&nbsp;human&nbsp;rightsviolations they were facing and try to ensure justice and accountability.

"Grave?human?rights?violations, such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, ill-treatment and torture, and at least one extra-judicial execution were documented," the report said.

Russia is committing "grave" human rights violations in Crimea, including its imposition of citizenship and by deporting prisoners, a U.N. human rights report said on Monday. "Grave human rights violations, such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, ill-treatment and torture, and at least one extra-judicial execution were documented," the report said. Russian authorities did not allow the U.N. investigation to enter the Crimean territory. Russia occupied Crimea in 2014 and replaced Ukrainian laws with Russian laws, but its annexation has never been internationally recognised. The U.N. General Assembly ordered the human rights investigation in December 2016. "Imposing citizenship on the inhabitants of an occupied territory can be equated to compelling them to swear allegiance to a power they may consider as hostile, which is forbidden under the Fourth Geneva Convention," U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein said in a statement. Russia had also broken international law by transporting detainees and prisoners from Crimea to Russia, the report said. When it occupied Crimea, Russia automatically recognised all Ukrainians on the peninsula as Russian citizens, unless they sent a written rejection. As of May 2015, about 100,000 people, about 4 percent of Crimea's population, did not have Russian citizenship, the report said, citing a Russian official. About 19,000 people - mainly civil servants wanting to keep their jobs under Russia's de facto rule - were effectively forced to renounce their Ukrainian citizenship, the report said. Russia says a March 2014 referendum legitimised its "incorporation" of Crimea. Opponents of the referendum have been targeted by laws against terrorism, extremism and separatism, and some have been forcibly interned in psychiatric institutions, the report said. Many media outlets have been shut down and all Crimea's 22 congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses have been effectively outlawed, the report said. Education in Ukrainian has almost disappeared and Russia has banned the Mejlis, a body representing Crimean Tatars, whose members have been subjected to intimidation, house searches and detention, the report said. Russia is a veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, which means it can block any attempt to hold it to account. But Fiona Frazer, head of the U.N. office in Ukraine that produced the report, said it was important to document what was happening in Crimea so that victims could record the human rightsviolations they were facing and try to ensure justice and accountability.

Russian occupation of Crimea marked by grave human rights violations: UN

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has urged the United Nations to appoint a special envoy to Kashmir, as he claimed that the struggle of the people in the region is being &quot;brutally suppressed&quot; by India.

In his maiden address to the UN General Assembly yesterday, Abbasi accused India of indulging in terror activities against his country and warned of a &quot;matching response&quot; if it &quot;ventures across the LoC (Line of Control)&quot; or acts upon its doctrine of limited war against Pakistan.

&quot;The Kashmir dispute should be resolved justly, peacefully and expeditiously. As India is unwilling to resume the peace process with Pakistan, we call on the Security Council to fulfil its obligation to secure the implementation of its own resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir,&quot; he added.

&quot;To this end, the UN secretary general should appoint a special envoy on Kashmir. His mandate should flow from the longstanding but unimplemented resolutions of the Security Council,&quot; Abbasi said.

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He said despite over 600 ceasefire violations on the India-Pakistan border since January this year, Pakistan has acted with restraint.

&quot;But if India does venture across the LoC, or acts upon its doctrine of limited war against Pakistan, it will evoke a strong and matching response,&quot; he said in his speech in which he raised his anti-India rhetoric.

India is expected to soon take up the podium to respond to Abbasi&#39;s remarks on Kashmir.

The Pakistani prime minister said the legitimate struggle for self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir continues to be &quot;brutally suppressed by India&#39;s occupation forces&quot;.

Abbasi, who assumed office few months ago, mentioned Kashmir a total of 17 times and India 14 times among other things in his speech.

He also said that from day one of its creation, Pakistan has faced unremitting hostility from its eastern neighbor (India).

&quot;India refuses to implement the unanimous resolutions of the UN Security Council, which mandate a UN supervised plebiscite to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to freely decide their destiny,&quot; he said.

&quot;Instead, India has deployed nearly 700,000 troops in occupied Kashmir to suppress the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiris to exercise their right to self-determination. This is the most intense foreign military occupation in recent history,&quot; Abbasi said as he kicked up the Pakistan&#39;s rhetoric against India.

&quot;Shotgun pellets have blinded and maimed thousands of Kashmiris including children. These and other brutalities clearly constitute war crimes and violate the Geneva Conventions,&quot; he charged.

Abbasi demanded an international investigation into the alleged atrocities in Kashmir and sending of an inquiry commission to Jammu and Kashmir in order to secure the punishment of those &quot;responsible of human rights violation&quot; and provide justice and relief to victims.

However, he stated that Pakistan remains open to resuming a comprehensive dialogue with India to address all outstanding issues, especially Kashmir and discuss measures to maintain peace and security in the region.

&quot;This dialogue must be accompanied by an end to India&#39;s campaign of subversion and state sponsored terrorism against Pakistan, including from across our western border,&quot; Abbasi said.

In his maiden address to the UN General Assembly, Shahid Abbasi accused India of indulging in terror activities against his country and warned of a 'matching response' if it 'ventures across the LoC'

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has urged the United Nations to appoint a special envoy to Kashmir, as he claimed that the struggle of the people in the region is being "brutally suppressed" by India. In his maiden address to the UN General Assembly yesterday, Abbasi accused India of indulging in terror activities against his country and warned of a "matching response" if it "ventures across the LoC (Line of Control)" or acts upon its doctrine of limited war against Pakistan. "The Kashmir dispute should be resolved justly, peacefully and expeditiously. As India is unwilling to resume the peace process with Pakistan, we call on the Security Council to fulfil its obligation to secure the implementation of its own resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir," he added. "To this end, the UN secretary general should appoint a special envoy on Kashmir. His mandate should flow from the longstanding but unimplemented resolutions of the Security Council," Abbasi said. India is expected to soon take up the podium to respond to Abbasi's remarks on Kashmir × He said despite over 600 ceasefire violations on the India-Pakistan border since January this year, Pakistan has acted with restraint. "But if India does venture across the LoC, or acts upon its doctrine of limited war against Pakistan, it will evoke a strong and matching response," he said in his speech in which he raised his anti-India rhetoric. India is expected to soon take up the podium to respond to Abbasi's remarks on Kashmir. The Pakistani prime minister said the legitimate struggle for self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir continues to be "brutally suppressed by India's occupation forces". Abbasi, who assumed office few months ago, mentioned Kashmir a total of 17 times and India 14 times among other things in his speech. He also said that from day one of its creation, Pakistan has faced unremitting hostility from its eastern neighbor (India). "India refuses to implement the unanimous resolutions of the UN Security Council, which mandate a UN supervised plebiscite to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to freely decide their destiny," he said. "Instead, India has deployed nearly 700,000 troops in occupied Kashmir to suppress the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiris to exercise their right to self-determination. This is the most intense foreign military occupation in recent history," Abbasi said as he kicked up the Pakistan's rhetoric against India. "Shotgun pellets have blinded and maimed thousands of Kashmiris including children. These and other brutalities clearly constitute war crimes and violate the Geneva Conventions," he charged. Abbasi demanded an international investigation into the alleged atrocities in Kashmir and sending of an inquiry commission to Jammu and Kashmir in order to secure the punishment of those "responsible of human rights violation" and provide justice and relief to victims. However, he stated that Pakistan remains open to resuming a comprehensive dialogue with India to address all outstanding issues, especially Kashmir and discuss measures to maintain peace and security in the region. "This dialogue must be accompanied by an end to India's campaign of subversion and state sponsored terrorism against Pakistan, including from across our western border," Abbasi said.

Pakistan PM urges UN to appoint special envoy for Kashmir

Bangladesh&nbsp;Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she spoke to U.S. President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;on Monday about Rohingya Muslims flooding into her country&nbsp;fromMyanmar, but she&nbsp;expects&nbsp;no&nbsp;help&nbsp;from&nbsp;him as he has made clear how he feels about&nbsp;refugees.

As&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;left an event he hosted at the United Nations on reforming the world body, Hasina said she stopped him for a few minutes.

&quot;He just asked how is&nbsp;Bangladesh? I said &#39;it&#39;s doing very well, but the only problem that we have is the&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;from&nbsp;Myanmar&#39;,&quot; Hasina told Reuters in an interview. &quot;But he didn&#39;t make any comment about&nbsp;refugees.&quot;

A&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;military response to insurgent attacks last month in the country&#39;s Rakhine state sent more than 410,000 Rohingya Muslims&nbsp;fleeing&nbsp;to neighboring&nbsp;Bangladesh, escaping what the United Nations has branded as ethnic cleansing.

The&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;government&nbsp;says&nbsp;about 400 people have been killed in the fighting.

Hasina, who is due to address the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, said&nbsp;Trump&#39;s stance on&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;was clear, so it was not worth asking him for&nbsp;help&nbsp;with the Rohingya Muslim&nbsp;refugees.

&quot;Already America declared that they will not allow any&nbsp;refugees,&quot; she said. &quot;What I can expectfrom&nbsp;them, and especially (the) president. He already declared his mind ... so why I should ask?&quot;

&quot;Bangladesh&nbsp;is not a rich country ... but if we can feed 160 million people, another 500 or 700,000 people, we can do it.&quot;

A senior White House official was unaware of the exchange but said&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;was deeply interested in the subject and that &quot;he would definitely engage if it were brought up.&quot;

Shortly after taking office in January,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;tried to put a 120-day halt on the U.S. refugee program, bar Syrian&nbsp;refugees&nbsp;indefinitely and impose a 90-day suspension on people&nbsp;from&nbsp;six predominantly Muslim countries.

&quot;The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!&quot;&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said on Twitter on Friday.

Trump&nbsp;says&nbsp;the move is needed to prevent terrorist attacks and allow the government to put in place more stringent vetting procedures. There is a key Supreme Court hearing next month on the constitutionality of his executive order on the ban.

About a million Rohingya lived in Rakhine State until the recent violence. Most face travel restrictions and are denied citizenship in a country where many Buddhists regard them as illegal immigrants&nbsp;from&nbsp;Bangladesh.

Hasina said she wanted to see more international political pressure on&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;to allow the Rohingya to return.

&quot;(Myanmar&nbsp;leader Aung San Suu Kyi) should agree that these people belong to her country and that&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;is their country. They should take them back,&quot; she said. &quot;These people are suffering.&quot;

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has faced a barrage of international criticism for not stopping the violence.Myanmar&nbsp;national security adviser Thaung Tun told Reuters on Monday that&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;would ensure those who left their homes could return, but there was &quot;a process we have to discuss.&quot;

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley urged the&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;government to end military operations, grant humanitarian access, and commit to aiding the safe return of civilians to their homes.

&quot;People are still at risk of being attacked or killed, humanitarian aid is not reaching the people who need it, and innocent civilians are still&nbsp;fleeing&nbsp;across the border to&nbsp;Bangladesh,&quot; Haley said after Britain hosted a meeting on the crisis in New York on Monday.

A U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, Patrick Murphy, is due in&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;this week.

As?Trump?left an event he hosted at the United Nations on reforming the world body, Hasina said she stopped him for a few minutes.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday about Rohingya Muslims flooding into her country fromMyanmar, but she expects no help from him as he has made clear how he feels about refugees. As Trump left an event he hosted at the United Nations on reforming the world body, Hasina said she stopped him for a few minutes. "He just asked how is Bangladesh? I said 'it's doing very well, but the only problem that we have is the refugees from Myanmar'," Hasina told Reuters in an interview. "But he didn't make any comment about refugees." A Myanmar military response to insurgent attacks last month in the country's Rakhine state sent more than 410,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh, escaping what the United Nations has branded as ethnic cleansing. The Myanmar government says about 400 people have been killed in the fighting. Hasina, who is due to address the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, said Trump's stance on refugees was clear, so it was not worth asking him for help with the Rohingya Muslim refugees. "Already America declared that they will not allow any refugees," she said. "What I can expectfrom them, and especially (the) president. He already declared his mind ... so why I should ask?" "Bangladesh is not a rich country ... but if we can feed 160 million people, another 500 or 700,000 people, we can do it." A senior White House official was unaware of the exchange but said Trump was deeply interested in the subject and that "he would definitely engage if it were brought up." Shortly after taking office in January, Trump tried to put a 120-day halt on the U.S. refugee program, bar Syrian refugees indefinitely and impose a 90-day suspension on people from six predominantly Muslim countries. "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" Trump said on Twitter on Friday. Trump says the move is needed to prevent terrorist attacks and allow the government to put in place more stringent vetting procedures. There is a key Supreme Court hearing next month on the constitutionality of his executive order on the ban. About a million Rohingya lived in Rakhine State until the recent violence. Most face travel restrictions and are denied citizenship in a country where many Buddhists regard them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Hasina said she wanted to see more international political pressure on Myanmar to allow the Rohingya to return. "(Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi) should agree that these people belong to her country and that Myanmar is their country. They should take them back," she said. "These people are suffering." Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has faced a barrage of international criticism for not stopping the violence.Myanmar national security adviser Thaung Tun told Reuters on Monday that Myanmar would ensure those who left their homes could return, but there was "a process we have to discuss." U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley urged the Myanmar government to end military operations, grant humanitarian access, and commit to aiding the safe return of civilians to their homes. "People are still at risk of being attacked or killed, humanitarian aid is not reaching the people who need it, and innocent civilians are still fleeing across the border to Bangladesh," Haley said after Britain hosted a meeting on the crisis in New York on Monday. A U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, Patrick Murphy, is due in Myanmar this week.

Bangladesh PM says expects no help from Trump on refugees fleeing Myanmar

Threatening action or rhetoric&nbsp;cannot&nbsp;help&nbsp;resolve&nbsp;the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-stealth-fighter-jets-bombers-fly-over-korean-peninsula-20339">situation on the Korean&nbsp;peninsula</a>,&nbsp;China&#39;s foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis hinted about the existence of military options on North Korea.

The North has repeatedly<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-defiant-over-un-sanctions-as-trump-says-tougher-steps-needed-20172"> defied the United Nations</a> to conduct nuclear and missile tests, the latest being a mid-range missile fired over Japan on Friday, soon after the reclusive nation&#39;s sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3.

Asked whether there were any military options the United States could take with North Korea that would not put Seoul at grave risk, Mattis said there were, but declined to give details.

&quot;Developments in the peninsula nuclear issue up to this point prove that, no matter whether it is military&nbsp;threats&nbsp;in words or in action, they&nbsp;cannot&nbsp;promote and advance a resolution,&quot; the foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said.

&quot;To the contrary, it just adds to tensions and makes achieving the goal of denuclearization on the peninsula appear more complicated and difficult to&nbsp;resolve,&quot; he added, responding to a question about Mattis&#39; comments at a regular briefing.

Seoul is within artillery range of North Korea, which is also believed to have a sizable chemical and biological arsenal beyond nuclear and conventional weapons.

Any conflict on the&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;peninsula could lead to bloodshed unseen since the 1950-53&nbsp;KoreanWar, which took the lives of more than 50,000 Americans and millions of&nbsp;Koreans and ended in an armed truce, not a peace treaty.

Military options available to the United States range from non-lethal actions such as a naval blockade to enforce sanctions to waging cyber attacks and positioning new U.S. weaponry in South Korea, where the United States has 28,500 troops.

South Korea and the United States, and separately Russia together with&nbsp;China, started military drills on Monday, in a show of force against North Korea.

The&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;peninsula issue must be&nbsp;resolved peacefully, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi stressed during a meeting with his Russian counterpart at the United Nations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by telephone about keeping pressure on North Korea using economic sanctions imposed through the United Nations, the White House has said.

The North has repeatedly defied the United Nations to conduct nuclear and missile tests, the latest being a mid-range missile fired over Japan on Friday, soon after the reclusive nation's sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3.

Threatening action or rhetoric cannot help resolve the situation on the Korean peninsula, China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis hinted about the existence of military options on North Korea. The North has repeatedly defied the United Nations to conduct nuclear and missile tests, the latest being a mid-range missile fired over Japan on Friday, soon after the reclusive nation's sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3. Asked whether there were any military options the United States could take with North Korea that would not put Seoul at grave risk, Mattis said there were, but declined to give details. "Developments in the peninsula nuclear issue up to this point prove that, no matter whether it is military threats in words or in action, they cannot promote and advance a resolution," the foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said. "To the contrary, it just adds to tensions and makes achieving the goal of denuclearization on the peninsula appear more complicated and difficult to resolve," he added, responding to a question about Mattis' comments at a regular briefing. Seoul is within artillery range of North Korea, which is also believed to have a sizable chemical and biological arsenal beyond nuclear and conventional weapons. Any conflict on the Korean peninsula could lead to bloodshed unseen since the 1950-53 KoreanWar, which took the lives of more than 50,000 Americans and millions of Koreans and ended in an armed truce, not a peace treaty. Military options available to the United States range from non-lethal actions such as a naval blockade to enforce sanctions to waging cyber attacks and positioning new U.S. weaponry in South Korea, where the United States has 28,500 troops. South Korea and the United States, and separately Russia together with China, started military drills on Monday, in a show of force against North Korea. The Korean peninsula issue must be resolved peacefully, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi stressed during a meeting with his Russian counterpart at the United Nations. Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by telephone about keeping pressure on North Korea using economic sanctions imposed through the United Nations, the White House has said.

Threats cannot resolve Korean peninsula situation: China

Pressure grew on Myanmar Monday as a rights group urged world leaders to impose sanctions on its military, which is accused of driving out more than 410,000 Rohingya Muslims in an orchestrated &quot;ethnic cleansing&quot; campaign.

The call from Human Rights Watch came as the UN General Assembly prepared to convene in New York, with the crisis in Myanmar one of the most pressing topics.

It also came on the eve of a highly-anticipated national address by Myanmar&#39;s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi -- her first on the Rakhine crisis.&nbsp;

The exodus of Rohingya refugees from mainly Buddhist Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh has sparked a humanitarian emergency. Aid groups are struggling to provide relief to a daily stream of new arrivals, more than half of whom are children.

Myanmar has suggested it will not take back all who had fled across the border, accusing those refugees of having links to the Rohingya militants whose raids on police posts in August triggered the army backlash.

Any clear moves to block the refugees&#39; return will likely anger Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, who will press the General Assembly to raise global pressure Myanmar to take back all the Rohingya massing in shanty towns and camps near the border.

Human Rights Watch also called for the &quot;safe and voluntary return&quot; of the displaced as it urge governments around the globe to punish Myanmar&#39;s army with sanctions for the &quot;ongoing atrocities&quot; against the Rohingya.

&quot;The United Nations Security Council and concerned countries should impose targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on the Burmese military to end its ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims,&quot; the group said in a statement.

Myanmar&#39;s military was hit with Western sanctions during its 50-year rule of the country. But most have been lifted in recent years as the generals have allowed a partial transition to democracy.

&quot;Burma&#39;s senior military commanders are more likely to heed the calls of the international community if they are suffering real economic consequences,&quot; said John Sifton, HRW&#39;s Asia advocacy director.

Suu Kyi&#39;s &#39;last chance&#39;&nbsp;

Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi has shocked the international community with her near-silence on the plight of the Rohingya and her failure to condemn the actions of the army, with whom she has a delicate power-sharing arrangement.

Speaking to the BBC over the weekend, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called Suu Kyi&#39;s upcoming address a &quot;last chance&quot; to stop the unfolding humanitarian calamity.

But analysts say it will be difficult for her to tamp both global outrage and combustible religious tensions at home, where there is broad support among the mainly Buddhist populace for the army&#39;s crackdown.

&quot;I&#39;m worried that there is almost no possibility given the political climate in Myanmar for balancing the expectations of most of the country and the expectations of the international community,&quot; Richard Horsey, an independent analyst based in Myanmar, told AFP.&nbsp;

Duelling protests&nbsp;

The sharp divide was on display Monday as protests broke out in Dhaka -- where 20,000 Islamist hardliners marched in solidarity with the Rohingya -- and in Yangon, where a much smaller group of 300 gathered to blast global interference in the conflict.&nbsp;

The ultra-nationalists in Yangon braved a downpour as they waved Myanmar flags and banners describing the UN and global NGOs as &quot;supporting organisations for the terrorists&quot;.&nbsp;

While the world has watched the refugee crisis unfold with horror, there is little sympathy for the Rohingya inside Myanmar.

Many Buddhists revile the Muslim minority and have long denied the existence of the Rohingya as an ethnic group, insisting they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Suu Kyi&#39;s government has so far defended the military campaign as a legitimate crackdown on the Rohingya militants, who first emerged as a fighting force last October.

On Sunday Myanmar&#39;s Information Committee accused those who fled to Bangladesh -- more than a third of the Rohingya population -- of working in cahoots with the Rohingya militants, a rag-tag group of fighters armed with mostly rudimentary weapons.

&quot;Those who fled the villages made their way to the other country for fear of being arrested as they got involved in the violent attacks,&quot; the statement said.

&quot;Legal protection will be given to the villages whose residents did not flee,&quot; it added.

The violence has gutted large swaths of northern Rakhine in just over three weeks, with fires visible almost daily across the border from the Bangladesh camps.

Some 30,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus have also been displaced by unrest in northern Rakhine, where foreign aid has been severely curtailed.&nbsp;

On Monday, Doctors Without Borders repeated calls for &quot;unfettered access&quot; to the conflict zone, saying hundreds of thousands of people are thought to be languishing &quot;without any meaningful form of humanitarian assistance&quot;.

The call from Human Rights Watch came as the UN General Assembly prepared to convene in New York, with the crisis in Myanmar one of the most pressing topics.

Pressure grew on Myanmar Monday as a rights group urged world leaders to impose sanctions on its military, which is accused of driving out more than 410,000 Rohingya Muslims in an orchestrated "ethnic cleansing" campaign. The call from Human Rights Watch came as the UN General Assembly prepared to convene in New York, with the crisis in Myanmar one of the most pressing topics. It also came on the eve of a highly-anticipated national address by Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi -- her first on the Rakhine crisis. The exodus of Rohingya refugees from mainly Buddhist Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh has sparked a humanitarian emergency. Aid groups are struggling to provide relief to a daily stream of new arrivals, more than half of whom are children. Myanmar has suggested it will not take back all who had fled across the border, accusing those refugees of having links to the Rohingya militants whose raids on police posts in August triggered the army backlash. Any clear moves to block the refugees' return will likely anger Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, who will press the General Assembly to raise global pressure Myanmar to take back all the Rohingya massing in shanty towns and camps near the border. Human Rights Watch also called for the "safe and voluntary return" of the displaced as it urge governments around the globe to punish Myanmar's army with sanctions for the "ongoing atrocities" against the Rohingya. "The United Nations Security Council and concerned countries should impose targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on the Burmese military to end its ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims," the group said in a statement. Myanmar's military was hit with Western sanctions during its 50-year rule of the country. But most have been lifted in recent years as the generals have allowed a partial transition to democracy. "Burma's senior military commanders are more likely to heed the calls of the international community if they are suffering real economic consequences," said John Sifton, HRW's Asia advocacy director. Suu Kyi's 'last chance' Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi has shocked the international community with her near-silence on the plight of the Rohingya and her failure to condemn the actions of the army, with whom she has a delicate power-sharing arrangement. Speaking to the BBC over the weekend, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called Suu Kyi's upcoming address a "last chance" to stop the unfolding humanitarian calamity. But analysts say it will be difficult for her to tamp both global outrage and combustible religious tensions at home, where there is broad support among the mainly Buddhist populace for the army's crackdown. "I'm worried that there is almost no possibility given the political climate in Myanmar for balancing the expectations of most of the country and the expectations of the international community," Richard Horsey, an independent analyst based in Myanmar, told AFP. Duelling protests The sharp divide was on display Monday as protests broke out in Dhaka -- where 20,000 Islamist hardliners marched in solidarity with the Rohingya -- and in Yangon, where a much smaller group of 300 gathered to blast global interference in the conflict. The ultra-nationalists in Yangon braved a downpour as they waved Myanmar flags and banners describing the UN and global NGOs as "supporting organisations for the terrorists". While the world has watched the refugee crisis unfold with horror, there is little sympathy for the Rohingya inside Myanmar. Many Buddhists revile the Muslim minority and have long denied the existence of the Rohingya as an ethnic group, insisting they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Suu Kyi's government has so far defended the military campaign as a legitimate crackdown on the Rohingya militants, who first emerged as a fighting force last October. On Sunday Myanmar's Information Committee accused those who fled to Bangladesh -- more than a third of the Rohingya population -- of working in cahoots with the Rohingya militants, a rag-tag group of fighters armed with mostly rudimentary weapons. "Those who fled the villages made their way to the other country for fear of being arrested as they got involved in the violent attacks," the statement said. "Legal protection will be given to the villages whose residents did not flee," it added. The violence has gutted large swaths of northern Rakhine in just over three weeks, with fires visible almost daily across the border from the Bangladesh camps. Some 30,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus have also been displaced by unrest in northern Rakhine, where foreign aid has been severely curtailed. On Monday, Doctors Without Borders repeated calls for "unfettered access" to the conflict zone, saying hundreds of thousands of people are thought to be languishing "without any meaningful form of humanitarian assistance".

UN urged to punish Myanmar army over Rohingya 'atrocities'

About <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmars-suu-kyi-under-pressure-as-almost-125000-rohingya-flee-violence-19909">270,000 Muslim Rohingya fleeing violence in&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;</a>have sought refuge in Bangladesh in the past two weeks, a spokeswoman for the UN&nbsp;High Commissioner for Refugees said on Friday.

This has brought to 357,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October 2016.

The exodus has put pressure on aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous violence in&nbsp;Myanmar.

Following are some details on the crisis gathered from UN&nbsp;sources working in the Cox&#39;s Bazar district of Bangladesh, on the&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;border.

- The number of new arrivals has increased considerably in part because of a survey carried out on September&nbsp;6 and 7, when inter-agency teams visited host communities previously left out of calculations. About 75,000 people were identified in previously unvisited communities at nine locations.

- There is immediate need for food for the majority of the new arrivals, who do not have, or have finished, their own supplies, and are getting food from host communities or refugees who came across the border last year.

- Most of the food being distributed is high-energy biscuits with 47,522 new arrivals getting them. Supplies of rice are scheduled to go out from September&nbsp;9.

- Water is scarce while sanitation and hygiene facilities in all makeshift settlements and refugee camps, especially at Shamlapur and Leda, where the number of fresh arrivals is increasing rapidly, are stretched. Limited space to build new facilities is a chronic problem.

- There are serious concerns about malnutrition, especially among children under five and pregnant or lactating women, some of whom are being enrolled in targeted feeding programmes.

- Many pregnant women are very hungry, some having not eaten for several days. Seven babies have been born.

- There is also a need for safe spaces for women with eight reported cases of gender-based violence, including 2 cases of sexual violence.

- As of September&nbsp;7, a total of 299 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have been identified and registered since August&nbsp;25.

- An estimated 51,100 children need schooling.

They have sought refuge in Bangladesh, the United Nations said

About 270,000 Muslim Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar have sought refuge in Bangladesh in the past two weeks, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said on Friday. This has brought to 357,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October 2016. The exodus has put pressure on aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous violence in Myanmar. Following are some details on the crisis gathered from UN sources working in the Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh, on the Myanmar border. - The number of new arrivals has increased considerably in part because of a survey carried out on September 6 and 7, when inter-agency teams visited host communities previously left out of calculations. About 75,000 people were identified in previously unvisited communities at nine locations. - There is immediate need for food for the majority of the new arrivals, who do not have, or have finished, their own supplies, and are getting food from host communities or refugees who came across the border last year. - Most of the food being distributed is high-energy biscuits with 47,522 new arrivals getting them. Supplies of rice are scheduled to go out from September 9. - Water is scarce while sanitation and hygiene facilities in all makeshift settlements and refugee camps, especially at Shamlapur and Leda, where the number of fresh arrivals is increasing rapidly, are stretched. Limited space to build new facilities is a chronic problem. - There are serious concerns about malnutrition, especially among children under five and pregnant or lactating women, some of whom are being enrolled in targeted feeding programmes. - Many pregnant women are very hungry, some having not eaten for several days. Seven babies have been born. - There is also a need for safe spaces for women with eight reported cases of gender-based violence, including 2 cases of sexual violence. - As of September 7, a total of 299 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have been identified and registered since August 25. - An estimated 51,100 children need schooling.

270,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar in two weeks: UN

A UN committee tasked with combatting racism has issued a formal &quot;early warning&quot; over conditions in the United States, a rare move often used to signal the potential of a looming civil conflict.&nbsp;

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said it had invoked its &quot;early warning and urgent action procedure&quot; because of the proliferation of racist demonstrations in the US.

It specifically noted the unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which a woman was killed after an avowed white supremacist ploughed his car into a group of anti-racism counterprotestors.

The racism committee, part of the UN human rights office, can issue a formal early warning to help prevent &quot;existing problems from escalating into conflict&quot; or to &quot;prevent a resumption of conflict where it has previously occurred&quot;, according to the rights office website.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump has been widely criticised for his response to the Charlottesville clashes, after he said &quot;both sides&quot; were to blame for the violence.

The UN committee urged Washington, &quot;as well as high-level politicians and public officials, to unequivocally and unconditionally reject and condemn racist hate speech&quot;, without mentioning Trump by name.&nbsp;

&quot;We are alarmed by the racist demonstrations, with overtly racist slogans, chants and salutes by white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and the Ku Klux Klan, promoting white supremacy and inciting racial discrimination and hatred,&quot; committee head Anastasia Crickley said in a statement.&nbsp;

The committee monitors compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which the US ratified in 1994.&nbsp;

The US warning marks the seventh such alert issued in the past decade.

They mainly concern countries gripped by ethnic and religious strife, including Burundi, Nigeria, Iraq and Ivory Coast.&nbsp;

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said it had invoked its 'early warning and urgent action procedure' because of the proliferation of racist demonstrations in the US

A UN committee tasked with combatting racism has issued a formal "early warning" over conditions in the United States, a rare move often used to signal the potential of a looming civil conflict. The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said it had invoked its "early warning and urgent action procedure" because of the proliferation of racist demonstrations in the US. It specifically noted the unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which a woman was killed after an avowed white supremacist ploughed his car into a group of anti-racism counterprotestors. The racism committee, part of the UN human rights office, can issue a formal early warning to help prevent "existing problems from escalating into conflict" or to "prevent a resumption of conflict where it has previously occurred", according to the rights office website. President Donald Trump has been widely criticised for his response to the Charlottesville clashes, after he said "both sides" were to blame for the violence. The UN committee urged Washington, "as well as high-level politicians and public officials, to unequivocally and unconditionally reject and condemn racist hate speech", without mentioning Trump by name. "We are alarmed by the racist demonstrations, with overtly racist slogans, chants and salutes by white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and the Ku Klux Klan, promoting white supremacy and inciting racial discrimination and hatred," committee head Anastasia Crickley said in a statement. The committee monitors compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which the US ratified in 1994. The US warning marks the seventh such alert issued in the past decade. They mainly concern countries gripped by ethnic and religious strife, including Burundi, Nigeria, Iraq and Ivory Coast.

UN racism committee issues 'warning' over US tensions

China hasn&rsquo;t been known for establishing military bases in Africa &ndash; or even beyond its immediate sphere of influence. This is changing following its decision to build a military base in <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/china-open-overseas-military-base-djibouti-170712135241977.html">Djibouti</a> on the Horn of Africa. The base will be next door to the <a href="https://www.africom.mil/area-of-responsibility/east-africa/republic-of-djibouti">United States Africa Command</a>.

China will be able to use the base to improve the way it manages its peacekeeping operations and humanitarian efforts in Africa, as well as its regional maritime operations.

How should this be understood in terms of China&rsquo;s global positioning? And what are the implications of its expanding military footprint in Africa?

The brief answer is that there has not been a sudden change in China&rsquo;s role and foreign policy profile on the continent. Instead, the change has been gradual and incremental. This is particularly evident from an international peacekeeping perspective.

Beijing&rsquo;s views and approach towards United Nations peacekeeping have changed significantly since China <a href="http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2015/10/18/2003630319">joined the UN</a> in 1971. A major shift took place after the end of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War">Cold War</a> and, over the years, it&rsquo;s gradually taken a more positive stance and indicated a greater willingness to contribute.

Today China contributes peacekeepers in <a href="https://theglobalobservatory.org/2016/10/china-peacekeeping-dpko-south-sudan-mali/">substantial numbers</a> to operations in South Sudan, Mali and the <a href="http://www.african-defense.com/defense-news/chinese-peacekeepers-shine-in-drc/">Democratic Republic of Congo</a>. In doing so, it&rsquo;s deliberately sending a message that its rising profile is not a strategic threat to other major powers. Instead, it wants to be regarded as a friend to developing nations and be more responsive to global expectations. This includes the need to reduce tensions and conflicts.

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<h5>China&rsquo;s role in Africa can be understood from three broad perspectives: to assert its position as a global power, craft a positive image of itself, and to promote its national interests.</h5>
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China&rsquo;s role in Africa can be understood from three broad perspectives: to assert its position as a global power, craft a positive image of itself, and to promote its national interests.

A global player

China increasingly intends to show that it is a global power. The new base in Djibouti should be viewed in this context. It&rsquo;s in line with China&rsquo;s views on international peacekeeping. This is that peacekeeping&nbsp;way of exerting greater influence on international affairs through the UN.

Unlike the US, which has numerous <a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-worldwide-network-of-us-military-bases/5564">military bases around the world</a>, China has exercised its global presence through peacekeeping operations. As a result, Beijing has emerged as a significant actor in international peacekeeping operations &ndash; in Africa and elsewhere.

Its commitment to this can be seen from the fact that it&rsquo;s the only country that significantly contributes both troops and money to <a href="http://chinapower.csis.org/china-un-mission/">UN peacekeeping operations</a>.

Secondly, China&rsquo;s expanding role in UN peacekeeping over the last two decades has helped it craft a more positive and constructive global image and reputation. It has used peacekeeping deliberately, and systematically, as a diplomatic instrument aimed at projecting China as a responsible global power. Its approach to peacekeeping has also allowed it to respond more quickly to African requests or challenges. And it&rsquo;s worked as a confidence building measure with both African governments and the African Union.

Thirdly, China&rsquo;s emerging role in Africa is part of an evolving and pragmatic reorientation in Chinese policymaking circles, specifically where Beijing&rsquo;s political interests and related investments are at stake. China is <a href="http://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/january-2013/china-heart-africa">Africa&rsquo;s largest trading partner</a>, and its strategic and material interests have become more integrated and entangled with African concerns.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/180386/width754/file-20170731-22175-9evoy0.jpg" />
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Chinese soldiers deployed for UN peacekeeping missions at their military base in Qinyang, Henan province, China.&nbsp;

But its growing involvement in peacekeeping has become more difficult to reconcile with its historical commitment to non-interventionism. This is particularly clear in the case of South Sudan.
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Strategic interests

Africa&rsquo;s youngest nation has presented both challenges and opportunities for China. It has had to soften its historical arm&rsquo;s length approach to facilitate a political solution to the ongoing conflict in South Sudan. But it has also needed to secure its strategic interests, especially the production of oil.

In this volatile and turbulent environment, Beijing felt compelled to make a substantial peacekeeping contribution to the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unmiss/">United Nations Mission in South Sudan</a>. This included deploying combat troops.

But it also had to assume a number of new political roles, such as mediating between warring parties and engaging in <a href="http://www.jamestown.org/programs/chinabrief/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=45658&amp;#.V-KBmvl97IU">multilateral peace talks</a>. This puts Chinese foreign policy principles under pressure and steered its involvement in international peacekeeping operations in a new direction.

China&rsquo;s peacekeeping experience in South Sudan suggests that it tacitly recognises that some kind of intervention is sometimes needed to protect its strategic interests.

Although China&rsquo;s involvement in peacekeeping in South Sudan should not be overstated in terms of its scope and extent, it does seem to signal the beginning of a far more assertive role in Africa&rsquo;s peace and security issues.

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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=As much as China is being forced to adopt high-risk strategies in cases of overseas investment, as in South Sudan, its approach can still be defined as being carefully impartial" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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At the same time, as much as China is being forced to adopt high-risk strategies in cases of overseas investment, as in South Sudan, its approach can still be defined as being carefully impartial. It remains true that China&rsquo;s increased involvement in political dynamics in South Sudan doesn&rsquo;t sit easily with its long held policy of non-intervention.

A new colonialism?

Will China&rsquo;s presence in Africa &ndash; including its military footprint in Djibouti &ndash; turn into a new form of colonialism in Africa?

I believe this is highly unlikely. China remains acutely aware of the pitfalls associated with the politics of interventionism, especially in developing nations. It wants developing countries to regard it as a friend in global politics.

But it wouldn&rsquo;t be surprising if China started to apply at least a measure of military (hard) power alongside diplomatic (soft) power if it believes its economic interests are under threat.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/81783/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />African leaders must be realistic about developments such as the Djibouti military base. They can&rsquo;t welcome China&rsquo;s presence &ndash; and investments &ndash; as an acceptable alternative to America, while opposing Beijing&rsquo;s use of diplomatic &ndash; and even military &ndash; means to protect its interests.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-djibouti-military-base-tells-us-about-chinas-growing-role-in-africa-81783">original article</a>.

China?s expanding role in UN peacekeeping over the last two decades has helped it craft a more positive and constructive global image and reputation

China hasn’t been known for establishing military bases in Africa – or even beyond its immediate sphere of influence. This is changing following its decision to build a military base in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa. The base will be next door to the United States Africa Command. China will be able to use the base to improve the way it manages its peacekeeping operations and humanitarian efforts in Africa, as well as its regional maritime operations. How should this be understood in terms of China’s global positioning? And what are the implications of its expanding military footprint in Africa? The brief answer is that there has not been a sudden change in China’s role and foreign policy profile on the continent. Instead, the change has been gradual and incremental. This is particularly evident from an international peacekeeping perspective. Beijing’s views and approach towards United Nations peacekeeping have changed significantly since China joined the UN in 1971. A major shift took place after the end of the Cold War and, over the years, it’s gradually taken a more positive stance and indicated a greater willingness to contribute. Today China contributes peacekeepers in substantial numbers to operations in South Sudan, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In doing so, it’s deliberately sending a message that its rising profile is not a strategic threat to other major powers. Instead, it wants to be regarded as a friend to developing nations and be more responsive to global expectations. This includes the need to reduce tensions and conflicts. China’s role in Africa can be understood from three broad perspectives: to assert its position as a global power, craft a positive image of itself, and to promote its national interests. × China’s role in Africa can be understood from three broad perspectives: to assert its position as a global power, craft a positive image of itself, and to promote its national interests. A global player China increasingly intends to show that it is a global power. The new base in Djibouti should be viewed in this context. It’s in line with China’s views on international peacekeeping. This is that peacekeeping way of exerting greater influence on international affairs through the UN. Unlike the US, which has numerous military bases around the world, China has exercised its global presence through peacekeeping operations. As a result, Beijing has emerged as a significant actor in international peacekeeping operations – in Africa and elsewhere. Its commitment to this can be seen from the fact that it’s the only country that significantly contributes both troops and money to UN peacekeeping operations. Secondly, China’s expanding role in UN peacekeeping over the last two decades has helped it craft a more positive and constructive global image and reputation. It has used peacekeeping deliberately, and systematically, as a diplomatic instrument aimed at projecting China as a responsible global power. Its approach to peacekeeping has also allowed it to respond more quickly to African requests or challenges. And it’s worked as a confidence building measure with both African governments and the African Union. Thirdly, China’s emerging role in Africa is part of an evolving and pragmatic reorientation in Chinese policymaking circles, specifically where Beijing’s political interests and related investments are at stake. China is Africa’s largest trading partner, and its strategic and material interests have become more integrated and entangled with African concerns. Chinese soldiers deployed for UN peacekeeping missions at their military base in Qinyang, Henan province, China. But its growing involvement in peacekeeping has become more difficult to reconcile with its historical commitment to non-interventionism. This is particularly clear in the case of South Sudan. Strategic interests Africa’s youngest nation has presented both challenges and opportunities for China. It has had to soften its historical arm’s length approach to facilitate a political solution to the ongoing conflict in South Sudan. But it has also needed to secure its strategic interests, especially the production of oil. In this volatile and turbulent environment, Beijing felt compelled to make a substantial peacekeeping contribution to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. This included deploying combat troops. But it also had to assume a number of new political roles, such as mediating between warring parties and engaging in multilateral peace talks. This puts Chinese foreign policy principles under pressure and steered its involvement in international peacekeeping operations in a new direction. China’s peacekeeping experience in South Sudan suggests that it tacitly recognises that some kind of intervention is sometimes needed to protect its strategic interests. Although China’s involvement in peacekeeping in South Sudan should not be overstated in terms of its scope and extent, it does seem to signal the beginning of a far more assertive role in Africa’s peace and security issues. As much as China is being forced to adopt high-risk strategies in cases of overseas investment, as in South Sudan, its approach can still be defined as being carefully impartial × At the same time, as much as China is being forced to adopt high-risk strategies in cases of overseas investment, as in South Sudan, its approach can still be defined as being carefully impartial. It remains true that China’s increased involvement in political dynamics in South Sudan doesn’t sit easily with its long held policy of non-intervention. A new colonialism? Will China’s presence in Africa – including its military footprint in Djibouti – turn into a new form of colonialism in Africa? I believe this is highly unlikely. China remains acutely aware of the pitfalls associated with the politics of interventionism, especially in developing nations. It wants developing countries to regard it as a friend in global politics. But it wouldn’t be surprising if China started to apply at least a measure of military (hard) power alongside diplomatic (soft) power if it believes its economic interests are under threat. African leaders must be realistic about developments such as the Djibouti military base. They can’t welcome China’s presence – and investments – as an acceptable alternative to America, while opposing Beijing’s use of diplomatic – and even military – means to protect its interests. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

China?s new military base in Africa will help China in asserting its position as a global power

The United Nations has voiced concern over Gulf nations &#39;unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion&#39; by demanding Qatar to shut down Al Jazeera network, as well as other affiliated media outlets.

A spokesperson for United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, told a press briefing here on Friday, &quot;The High Commissioner is extremely concerned by the demand that Qatar close down the Al Jazeera network, as well as other affiliated media outlets.&quot;

&quot;Whether or not you watch it, like it, or agree with its editorial standpoints, Al Jazeera&#39;s Arabic and English channels are legitimate and have many millions of viewers. The demand that they are summarily closed down is, in our view, an unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion,&quot; added Colville.

The spokesperson said that if states have an issue with items broadcast on other countries&#39; television channels, they are at liberty to publicly debate and dispute them but to insist that such channels be shut down is extraordinary, unprecedented and clearly unreasonable.

Last week, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt handed down a list of 13 demands to Qatar and gave it 10 days to meet the requirements in order to lift the blockade that the Gulf nations have imposed on the country.

The list included Doha to close Al Jazeera, scale back cooperation with Iran, remove Turkish troops from Qatar, end contact with groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and submit to monthly external compliance checks.

He said that High Commissioner Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein, therefore, urges all five States to take measures to solve this dispute in a calm, reasonable and lawful manners and to ensure that any actions they take do not impact on the human rights of their own and other countries&#39; citizens and residents.&nbsp;

UN spokesperson Rupert Colville said that if states have an issue with items broadcast on other countries' television channels, they are at liberty to publicly debate and dispute them but to insist that such channels be shut down is extraordinary, unprecedented and clearly unreasonable

The United Nations has voiced concern over Gulf nations 'unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion' by demanding Qatar to shut down Al Jazeera network, as well as other affiliated media outlets. A spokesperson for United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, told a press briefing here on Friday, "The High Commissioner is extremely concerned by the demand that Qatar close down the Al Jazeera network, as well as other affiliated media outlets." "Whether or not you watch it, like it, or agree with its editorial standpoints, Al Jazeera's Arabic and English channels are legitimate and have many millions of viewers. The demand that they are summarily closed down is, in our view, an unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion," added Colville. The spokesperson said that if states have an issue with items broadcast on other countries' television channels, they are at liberty to publicly debate and dispute them but to insist that such channels be shut down is extraordinary, unprecedented and clearly unreasonable. Last week, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt handed down a list of 13 demands to Qatar and gave it 10 days to meet the requirements in order to lift the blockade that the Gulf nations have imposed on the country. The list included Doha to close Al Jazeera, scale back cooperation with Iran, remove Turkish troops from Qatar, end contact with groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and submit to monthly external compliance checks. He said that High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, therefore, urges all five States to take measures to solve this dispute in a calm, reasonable and lawful manners and to ensure that any actions they take do not impact on the human rights of their own and other countries' citizens and residents.

'Attack on freedom of expression': UN slams Gulf's demand to shut Al Jazeera

A tentative deal to cut nearly $600 million from the UN peacekeeping budget was reached on Wednesday, capping weeks of tough negotiations over US demands for a sharp reduction in costs, UN diplomats said.

Under the deal agreed by a budget committee of the General Assembly, the United Nations will spend $7.3 billion on peacekeeping in the coming year, down from the current $7.87 billion -- roughly a seven percent cut -- according to diplomats familiar with the negotiations.

The United States, the biggest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping, had sought a nearly $1 billion cut to the bill and the European Union had also pushed for savings to bring costs down to $7.3 billion.

Hardest hit by the cuts will be the UN missions in Sudan&#39;s troubled region of Darfur and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the two costliest operations with budgets that run over $1 billion.

The closure of the UN mission in Haiti in October will also generate savings.

A Security Council diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity said, however, there will be &quot;cuts across the board&quot; in the 13 missions as a result of US pressure.

But French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the cuts will allow the missions to continue their peacekeeping work &quot;while being more efficient.&quot;

&quot;The savings proposed in the budget have been carefully targeted,&quot; Delattre told AFP.

Washington pays 28.5 percent of the peacekeeping budget and 22 percent of the UN&#39;s core budget of $5.4 billion.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley wants to bring the US share of the peacekeeping budget down to 25 percent. China, Japan, Germany and France are the four biggest peacekeeping financial backers after the United States.

The budget deal falls short of what UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was seeking. &nbsp;He had put forward a budget of $7.97 billion for the year which runs from July 1 to June 30, 2018.

It also drops below the budget proposal of African countries which had sought $7.7 billion.

The deal is expected to be approved by the UN General Assembly on Friday.&nbsp;

Big cuts to Darfur mission

The Security Council is expected to vote as early as Thursday on significant cuts to the 17,000-strong joint African Union-UN mission in Darfur known as UNAMID.

Britain on Wednesday circulated a draft resolution that provides for a two-stage drawdown over the next 12 months, in line with the recommendations of a joint AU-UN report released last month.

The measure would cut UNAMID force levels to reach 8,735 troops and 2,500 police by June 2018, a 44 percent cut in military personnel and nearly 30 percent in police, according to the draft text obtained by AFP.

The drawdown, however, could be reviewed if the Sudanese government fails to ensure protection in those areas from where the peacekeepers will withdraw.

Under the proposed measure, Guterres will report to the council after six months on whether &quot;conditions on the ground remain conducive to further reductions.&quot;

The draft resolution welcomes a &quot;reduction in military confrontations between government forces and rebel groups,&quot; but rights groups maintain that the conflict in Darfur is far from over.

Human Rights Watch has criticised the proposed cuts as &quot;misguided,&quot; saying civilians in Darfur still need protection.

Darfur has been engulfed in conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority insurgents mounted a rebellion against President Omar al-Bashir, complaining that his Arab-dominated government was marginalising the region.

The council is expected to vote this week on the UN mission in Mali, but that peace operation is not expected to face drastic cuts.

(AFP)

The United States, the biggest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping, had sought a nearly $1 billion cut to the bill

A tentative deal to cut nearly $600 million from the UN peacekeeping budget was reached on Wednesday, capping weeks of tough negotiations over US demands for a sharp reduction in costs, UN diplomats said. Under the deal agreed by a budget committee of the General Assembly, the United Nations will spend $7.3 billion on peacekeeping in the coming year, down from the current $7.87 billion -- roughly a seven percent cut -- according to diplomats familiar with the negotiations. The United States, the biggest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping, had sought a nearly $1 billion cut to the bill and the European Union had also pushed for savings to bring costs down to $7.3 billion. Hardest hit by the cuts will be the UN missions in Sudan's troubled region of Darfur and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the two costliest operations with budgets that run over $1 billion. The closure of the UN mission in Haiti in October will also generate savings. A Security Council diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity said, however, there will be "cuts across the board" in the 13 missions as a result of US pressure. But French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the cuts will allow the missions to continue their peacekeeping work "while being more efficient." "The savings proposed in the budget have been carefully targeted," Delattre told AFP. Washington pays 28.5 percent of the peacekeeping budget and 22 percent of the UN's core budget of $5.4 billion. US Ambassador Nikki Haley wants to bring the US share of the peacekeeping budget down to 25 percent. China, Japan, Germany and France are the four biggest peacekeeping financial backers after the United States. The budget deal falls short of what UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was seeking. He had put forward a budget of $7.97 billion for the year which runs from July 1 to June 30, 2018. It also drops below the budget proposal of African countries which had sought $7.7 billion. The deal is expected to be approved by the UN General Assembly on Friday. Big cuts to Darfur mission The Security Council is expected to vote as early as Thursday on significant cuts to the 17,000-strong joint African Union-UN mission in Darfur known as UNAMID. Britain on Wednesday circulated a draft resolution that provides for a two-stage drawdown over the next 12 months, in line with the recommendations of a joint AU-UN report released last month. The measure would cut UNAMID force levels to reach 8,735 troops and 2,500 police by June 2018, a 44 percent cut in military personnel and nearly 30 percent in police, according to the draft text obtained by AFP. The drawdown, however, could be reviewed if the Sudanese government fails to ensure protection in those areas from where the peacekeepers will withdraw. Under the proposed measure, Guterres will report to the council after six months on whether "conditions on the ground remain conducive to further reductions." The draft resolution welcomes a "reduction in military confrontations between government forces and rebel groups," but rights groups maintain that the conflict in Darfur is far from over. Human Rights Watch has criticised the proposed cuts as "misguided," saying civilians in Darfur still need protection. Darfur has been engulfed in conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority insurgents mounted a rebellion against President Omar al-Bashir, complaining that his Arab-dominated government was marginalising the region. The council is expected to vote this week on the UN mission in Mali, but that peace operation is not expected to face drastic cuts. (AFP)

UN agrees to cuts in Peacekeeping budget

Iraqi forces pressed forward with an offensive against jihadist-held areas of Mosul as the United Nations warned of grave danger to civilians in the final stages of the battle.

More than seven months into the massive operation to recapture Mosul from the Islamic State group, Iraqi forces have retaken the city&#39;s east and large parts of its western side, but the jihadists are putting up tough resistance in areas they still hold.

&quot;Our units are continuing to advance... and entered Al-Saha al-Oula and Al-Zinjili and Al-Shifaa neighbourhoods and the Republican Hospital,&quot; said Joint Operations Command spokesman Yahya Rasool on Monday.

IS was using &quot;explosives-rigged vehicles and snipers and suicide bombers&quot; to target Iraqi forces, he told AFP.

Meanwhile, in Baghdad, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle overnight at a popular ice cream shop, killing at least eight people and wounding 30 others, security officials said early Tuesday.&nbsp;

The Islamic State group-linked Amaq propaganda agency said the suicide bomber targeted a &quot;gathering of Shiites&quot;.

IS considers members of Iraq&#39;s Shiite Muslim majority to be heretics and frequently carries out attacks against them.

The bomber struck just days after the start of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, during which Iraqis often stay out late shopping or socialising after breaking their daily fast.

Dire conditions

The Joint Operations Command said Monday that Iraqi aircraft had dropped leaflets over Mosul urging residents to leave IS-held areas -- the second time this has been done within the past week.

This is the opposite of the strategy Iraqi forces employed in east Mosul, where they urged civilians to stay in their homes and may encourage even more people to leave.

&quot;In the past several weeks, 160,000 civilians have fled, and our expectation is that, because of this order (from the government), we could be seeing a similar number of civilians flee in coming days,&quot; Lise Grande, the UN&#39;s humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, told AFP.

&quot;Altogether, since the start of Mosul, 760,000 civilians have left their homes, and we are looking at the possibility of another 200,000 civilians leaving,&quot; she said.

Of the 760,000 civilians who have fled, some 150,000 have since returned home, leaving more than 600,000 currently displaced.

&quot;We are deeply concerned that right now, in the last final stages of the campaign to retake Mosul, that the civilians... in (IS) areas are probably at graver risk now than at any other stage of the campaign,&quot; said Grande.

She said that the UN estimates there are between 180,000 and 200,000 civilians in jihadist-held areas of Mosul, the majority of them in the Old City area.

The area -- a warren of closely spaced buildings and narrow streets -- has posed a significant challenge to Iraqi forces, which have surrounded it with a large number of civilians trapped inside.

&quot;The Old City has been blockaded for a while, completely from the south and now our units are present on the north and west,&quot; Rasool said. The area&#39;s eastern side is bordered by the Tigris River.

According to information received by the UN from families who have managed to flee, conditions in IS-held Mosul are increasingly dire.

&quot;We understand that medicines are very scarce, that there are severe shortages of safe drinking water, that there are very limited stocks of food. We also are aware that families which try to escape are often targeted by snipers,&quot; Grande said.

&quot;You have an enclosed area, you have fighters which are determined to hold out, the civilians are in many ways trapped in that area, there haven&#39;t been resupplies into the Old City for months,&quot; she said.

The battle for Mosul has taken a heavy toll on civilians, pushing hundreds of thousands to flee, while hundreds more have been killed or wounded.

(AFP)

The Joint Operations Command said Monday that Iraqi aircraft had dropped leaflets over Mosul urging residents to leave IS-held areas

Iraqi forces pressed forward with an offensive against jihadist-held areas of Mosul as the United Nations warned of grave danger to civilians in the final stages of the battle. More than seven months into the massive operation to recapture Mosul from the Islamic State group, Iraqi forces have retaken the city's east and large parts of its western side, but the jihadists are putting up tough resistance in areas they still hold. "Our units are continuing to advance... and entered Al-Saha al-Oula and Al-Zinjili and Al-Shifaa neighbourhoods and the Republican Hospital," said Joint Operations Command spokesman Yahya Rasool on Monday. IS was using "explosives-rigged vehicles and snipers and suicide bombers" to target Iraqi forces, he told AFP. Meanwhile, in Baghdad, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-rigged vehicle overnight at a popular ice cream shop, killing at least eight people and wounding 30 others, security officials said early Tuesday. The Islamic State group-linked Amaq propaganda agency said the suicide bomber targeted a "gathering of Shiites". IS considers members of Iraq's Shiite Muslim majority to be heretics and frequently carries out attacks against them. The bomber struck just days after the start of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, during which Iraqis often stay out late shopping or socialising after breaking their daily fast. Dire conditions The Joint Operations Command said Monday that Iraqi aircraft had dropped leaflets over Mosul urging residents to leave IS-held areas -- the second time this has been done within the past week. This is the opposite of the strategy Iraqi forces employed in east Mosul, where they urged civilians to stay in their homes and may encourage even more people to leave. "In the past several weeks, 160,000 civilians have fled, and our expectation is that, because of this order (from the government), we could be seeing a similar number of civilians flee in coming days," Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, told AFP. "Altogether, since the start of Mosul, 760,000 civilians have left their homes, and we are looking at the possibility of another 200,000 civilians leaving," she said. Of the 760,000 civilians who have fled, some 150,000 have since returned home, leaving more than 600,000 currently displaced. "We are deeply concerned that right now, in the last final stages of the campaign to retake Mosul, that the civilians... in (IS) areas are probably at graver risk now than at any other stage of the campaign," said Grande. She said that the UN estimates there are between 180,000 and 200,000 civilians in jihadist-held areas of Mosul, the majority of them in the Old City area. The area -- a warren of closely spaced buildings and narrow streets -- has posed a significant challenge to Iraqi forces, which have surrounded it with a large number of civilians trapped inside. "The Old City has been blockaded for a while, completely from the south and now our units are present on the north and west," Rasool said. The area's eastern side is bordered by the Tigris River. According to information received by the UN from families who have managed to flee, conditions in IS-held Mosul are increasingly dire. "We understand that medicines are very scarce, that there are severe shortages of safe drinking water, that there are very limited stocks of food. We also are aware that families which try to escape are often targeted by snipers," Grande said. "You have an enclosed area, you have fighters which are determined to hold out, the civilians are in many ways trapped in that area, there haven't been resupplies into the Old City for months," she said. The battle for Mosul has taken a heavy toll on civilians, pushing hundreds of thousands to flee, while hundreds more have been killed or wounded. (AFP)

Iraq presses Mosul assault, UN warns of grave danger to civilians

President Donald Trump&#39;s plan for deep cuts to US funding to the United Nations would make it &quot;impossible&quot; for the world body to continue its work to advance peace, development and human rights, the UN spokesman said Wednesday.

The US State Department has laid out plans to slash Washington&#39;s budget for diplomacy and foreign aid by more than 30 per cent, including a dramatic cut of 60 per cent of US funding for peacekeeping missions.

&quot;The budget as it&#39;s proposed now would make it simply impossible for the UN to continue all of its essential work advancing peace, development, human rights and humanitarian assistance around the world,&quot; said spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

The United States is the biggest contributor to the United Nations, paying 22 per cent of the $5.4 billion core budget and 28.5 per cent of the $7.9 billion peacekeeping budget.&nbsp;

Last month, the US administration cut funding to the UN Population Fund, which provides reproductive health and birth control services in more than 150 countries.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had criticised the US move, saying that the funding cut of $32.5 million could be devastating for the health of women and girls worldwide.

Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon five months ago, has vowed to trim the UN bureaucracy and make the world body more effective in its responses to world crises.

The UN chief is &quot;very conscious of cost-cutting&quot; and has instructed all departments to look for ways to &quot;spend money more wisely,&quot; said Dujarric.&nbsp;

But he added: &quot;We will need resources to deliver on our mandates.&quot;

UN officials cautioned that the budget proposal could undergo changes in the US Congress.

&quot;I think we would want to see the conclusion of the budgetary process before we make any comment,&quot; said Atul Khare, an under-secretary-general for peacekeeping.

Last month, Trump urged UN Security Council ambassadors during a working lunch in Washington to take a close look at the UN budget, saying expenditures had &quot;absolutely gone out of control&quot;.

But Trump added that if the United Nations showed results, he would back away from budget cuts &quot;because you&#39;re talking peanuts compared to the important work you&#39;re doing.&quot;

The US president&#39;s budget proposal was released this week as the UN&#39;s budget committee began work in New York to approve expenditures for the 16 peacekeeping missions.&nbsp;

The council has agreed to shut down peacekeeping missions in Ivory Coast, Liberia and Haiti, and is expected to significantly draw down the joint operation with the African Union in Sudan&#39;s Darfur region.&nbsp;

(AFP)

The US State Department has laid out plans to slash Washington's budget for diplomacy and foreign aid by more than 30 per cent, including a dramatic cut of 60 per cent of US funding for peacekeeping missions

President Donald Trump's plan for deep cuts to US funding to the United Nations would make it "impossible" for the world body to continue its work to advance peace, development and human rights, the UN spokesman said Wednesday. The US State Department has laid out plans to slash Washington's budget for diplomacy and foreign aid by more than 30 per cent, including a dramatic cut of 60 per cent of US funding for peacekeeping missions. "The budget as it's proposed now would make it simply impossible for the UN to continue all of its essential work advancing peace, development, human rights and humanitarian assistance around the world," said spokesman Stephane Dujarric. The United States is the biggest contributor to the United Nations, paying 22 per cent of the $5.4 billion core budget and 28.5 per cent of the $7.9 billion peacekeeping budget. Last month, the US administration cut funding to the UN Population Fund, which provides reproductive health and birth control services in more than 150 countries. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had criticised the US move, saying that the funding cut of $32.5 million could be devastating for the health of women and girls worldwide. Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon five months ago, has vowed to trim the UN bureaucracy and make the world body more effective in its responses to world crises. The UN chief is "very conscious of cost-cutting" and has instructed all departments to look for ways to "spend money more wisely," said Dujarric. But he added: "We will need resources to deliver on our mandates." UN officials cautioned that the budget proposal could undergo changes in the US Congress. "I think we would want to see the conclusion of the budgetary process before we make any comment," said Atul Khare, an under-secretary-general for peacekeeping. Last month, Trump urged UN Security Council ambassadors during a working lunch in Washington to take a close look at the UN budget, saying expenditures had "absolutely gone out of control". But Trump added that if the United Nations showed results, he would back away from budget cuts "because you're talking peanuts compared to the important work you're doing." The US president's budget proposal was released this week as the UN's budget committee began work in New York to approve expenditures for the 16 peacekeeping missions. The council has agreed to shut down peacekeeping missions in Ivory Coast, Liberia and Haiti, and is expected to significantly draw down the joint operation with the African Union in Sudan's Darfur region. (AFP)

Trump plan to cut funding to UN will cripple world body: Spokesman

Ethiopia&#39;s Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus won the race to be the next head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday, becoming the first African to lead the Geneva-based United Nations agency.

The former health minister and foreign minister, who vowed to make universal health care his priority, won over half the votes from 189 member states in the first round and prevailed in a third-round ballot against Britain&#39;s David Nabarro.

&quot;It&#39;s a victory day for Ethiopia and for Africa,&quot; Ethiopia&#39;s ambassador to the UN in Geneva Negash Kebret Botora said.

Tedros, as he is widely known, told health ministers at the WHO&#39;s annual assembly after his election: &quot;All roads lead to universal coverage. This will be my central priority.&quot;

&quot;At present, only about a half of the world&#39;s people have access to health care without impoverishment. This needs to improve dramatically,&quot; he added.

Six candidates sought to take the helm at the WHO, which is tasked with combating disease outbreaks and chronic illnesses.

The WHO said Tedros had led a &quot;comprehensive reform effort&quot; of Ethiopia&#39;s health system, creating health centres and jobs.

UNAIDS, the vaccine alliance GAVI, US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers welcomed his appointment.

&quot;Tedros has the power to herald a new era in how the world prepares for and responds to epidemics, including building partnerships, strengthening public health systems, and developing new vaccines and therapies that are available to all who need them,&quot; Jeremy Farrar, director of the medical charity Wellcome Trust, said in a statement.

Tedros will begin his five-year term after Margaret Chan, a former Hong Kong health director, steps down on June 30.

Chan leaves a mixed legacy after her 10 years on the job, especially because of WHO&#39;s slow response to West Africa&#39;s Ebola epidemic in 2013-2016, which killed 11,300 people.

In a last pitch before voting began, Tedros appealed to ministers by promising to represent their interests and to ensure more countries got top jobs at the Geneva-based WHO.

&quot;I will listen to you. I was one of you. I was in your shoes and I can understand you better,&quot; he said.

Tedros was widely seen as having the support of about 50 African votes, but questions about his role in restricting human rights and Ethiopia&#39;s cover-up of a cholera outbreak surfaced late in the race, threatening to tarnish his appeal.

&quot;You now have a clear mandate. We welcome your promises on transparency, delivery and reform,&quot; said Sally Davies, Britain&#39;s medical chief officer.

(Reuters)

Tedros, as he is widely known, told health ministers at the WHO's annual assembly after his election: 'All roads lead to universal coverage. This will be my central priority.'

Ethiopia's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus won the race to be the next head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday, becoming the first African to lead the Geneva-based United Nations agency. The former health minister and foreign minister, who vowed to make universal health care his priority, won over half the votes from 189 member states in the first round and prevailed in a third-round ballot against Britain's David Nabarro. "It's a victory day for Ethiopia and for Africa," Ethiopia's ambassador to the UN in Geneva Negash Kebret Botora said. Tedros, as he is widely known, told health ministers at the WHO's annual assembly after his election: "All roads lead to universal coverage. This will be my central priority." "At present, only about a half of the world's people have access to health care without impoverishment. This needs to improve dramatically," he added. Six candidates sought to take the helm at the WHO, which is tasked with combating disease outbreaks and chronic illnesses. The WHO said Tedros had led a "comprehensive reform effort" of Ethiopia's health system, creating health centres and jobs. UNAIDS, the vaccine alliance GAVI, US Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers welcomed his appointment. "Tedros has the power to herald a new era in how the world prepares for and responds to epidemics, including building partnerships, strengthening public health systems, and developing new vaccines and therapies that are available to all who need them," Jeremy Farrar, director of the medical charity Wellcome Trust, said in a statement. Tedros will begin his five-year term after Margaret Chan, a former Hong Kong health director, steps down on June 30. Chan leaves a mixed legacy after her 10 years on the job, especially because of WHO's slow response to West Africa's Ebola epidemic in 2013-2016, which killed 11,300 people. In a last pitch before voting began, Tedros appealed to ministers by promising to represent their interests and to ensure more countries got top jobs at the Geneva-based WHO. "I will listen to you. I was one of you. I was in your shoes and I can understand you better," he said. Tedros was widely seen as having the support of about 50 African votes, but questions about his role in restricting human rights and Ethiopia's cover-up of a cholera outbreak surfaced late in the race, threatening to tarnish his appeal. "You now have a clear mandate. We welcome your promises on transparency, delivery and reform," said Sally Davies, Britain's medical chief officer. (Reuters)

Ethiopia's Tedros becomes first African to head WHO

East Libyan forces have targeted rival brigades with a series of air strikes in the southern region of Jufra, officials and witnesses said on Sunday, three days after dozens of their men were killed in a surprise attack on an air base.

The escalation risks reigniting warfare in Libya&#39;s central desert regions, where forces aligned with the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) have skirmished since late last year with opponents aligned with a UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli.

The two sides represent the main factions in a sporadic conflict between shifting alliances that have fought for power in Libya since 2014.

A resident in Jufra said LNA air strikes had caused casualties, though the number of dead and injured was unclear.

Details of Thursday&#39;s attack on Brak Al-Shati air base, about 150 miles (240 km) south of Jufra, are still emerging. It was led by the 13th Brigade, which operates under the GNA&#39;s defence minister. He was suspended on Friday pending an investigation.

The LNA says as many as 141 were killed, some of them summarily, and has pledged a forceful response. Medical and local officials said on Friday that at least 89 had died, but that the toll was incomplete.

Human Rights Watch cited a local hospital official as saying that five corpses had arrived at a local hospital with bound arms, and that six more were disfigured in a way that suggested their heads had been run over by a vehicle.

The HRW statement on Sunday also quoted an LNA soldier as saying some civilian workers were killed, and that he witnessed nine of his comrades being executed.

&quot;As they were shooting they were shouting, &#39;You apostates, you enemies of God,&#39;&quot; the soldier was quoted as saying.

A spokesman for the 13th Brigade, also known as the Third Force, has said the raid on Brak Al-Shati base was a response to attacks against another air base that it controls to the south, and that those they attacked were armed.

&quot;We carried out a rapid, surprise attack,&quot; the spokesman, Mohamed Gliwan, told Reuters by telephone. &quot;The number of their dead was high because they were like sheep in a pen.&quot;

&quot;We do not have casualties among our fighters because there was not a military confrontation ... They did not have time to fight back.&quot;

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the escalation.

&quot;He is particularly disturbed by the high number of fatalities as well as reports of summary executions of civilians, which, if confirmed, may constitute war crimes,&quot; spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. &nbsp;

(Reuters)

The eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) have skirmished since late last year with opponents aligned with a UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli

East Libyan forces have targeted rival brigades with a series of air strikes in the southern region of Jufra, officials and witnesses said on Sunday, three days after dozens of their men were killed in a surprise attack on an air base. The escalation risks reigniting warfare in Libya's central desert regions, where forces aligned with the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) have skirmished since late last year with opponents aligned with a UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli. The two sides represent the main factions in a sporadic conflict between shifting alliances that have fought for power in Libya since 2014. A resident in Jufra said LNA air strikes had caused casualties, though the number of dead and injured was unclear. Details of Thursday's attack on Brak Al-Shati air base, about 150 miles (240 km) south of Jufra, are still emerging. It was led by the 13th Brigade, which operates under the GNA's defence minister. He was suspended on Friday pending an investigation. The LNA says as many as 141 were killed, some of them summarily, and has pledged a forceful response. Medical and local officials said on Friday that at least 89 had died, but that the toll was incomplete. Human Rights Watch cited a local hospital official as saying that five corpses had arrived at a local hospital with bound arms, and that six more were disfigured in a way that suggested their heads had been run over by a vehicle. The HRW statement on Sunday also quoted an LNA soldier as saying some civilian workers were killed, and that he witnessed nine of his comrades being executed. "As they were shooting they were shouting, 'You apostates, you enemies of God,'" the soldier was quoted as saying. A spokesman for the 13th Brigade, also known as the Third Force, has said the raid on Brak Al-Shati base was a response to attacks against another air base that it controls to the south, and that those they attacked were armed. "We carried out a rapid, surprise attack," the spokesman, Mohamed Gliwan, told Reuters by telephone. "The number of their dead was high because they were like sheep in a pen." "We do not have casualties among our fighters because there was not a military confrontation ... They did not have time to fight back." UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the escalation. "He is particularly disturbed by the high number of fatalities as well as reports of summary executions of civilians, which, if confirmed, may constitute war crimes," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. (Reuters)

East Libyan Forces launch airstrikes against rival forces after airbase attack

The United Nations Security Council on Monday condemned North Korea&#39;s recent ballistic missile tests, warning that the launches contributed to the development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and were greatly increasing tensions.

North Korea fired a ballistic missile that landed in the sea near Russia on Sunday in a launch the United States called a message to South Korea days after its new president took office pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue.

In a unanimously agreed statement, the 15-member council said it was of vital importance that North Korea show &quot;sincere commitment to denuclearisation through concrete action and stressed the importance of working to reduce tensions.&quot;

&quot;To that end, the Security Council demanded the Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea conduct no further nuclear and ballistic missile tests,&quot; the council said, adding that it was ready to impose further sanctions on the country.

The statement also condemned an April 28 ballistic missile launch by Pyongyang.

Following that launch, Washington began talks with North Korean ally China on possible new UN&nbsp;sanctions. Traditionally, the United States and China have negotiated new measures before involving remaining council members.

The UN&nbsp;Security Council first imposed sanctions on North Korea in 2006 and has strengthened the measures in response to its five nuclear tests and two long-range rocket launches. Pyongyang is threatening a sixth nuclear test.

&quot;The members of the Security Council vowed to fully implement all measures imposed on (North Korea) by the Security Council and strongly urge all other member states to do so in an expeditious and serious manner,&quot; the statement said on Monday.

North Korea made a global appeal in a letter released on Friday for states to reconsider enforcing UN&nbsp;sanctions on the Asian nation.

North Korea has in the past year stepped up its ballistic missile tests, firing dozens of various types of rockets, according to South Korea.

Experts said Sunday&#39;s successful launch signals major advances in developing an intercontinental ballistic missile, such as mastery of re-entry technology and better engine performance key to targeting the United States.

(Reuters)

The Security Council warned that the launches contributed to the development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and were greatly increasing tensions

The United Nations Security Council on Monday condemned North Korea's recent ballistic missile tests, warning that the launches contributed to the development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and were greatly increasing tensions. North Korea fired a ballistic missile that landed in the sea near Russia on Sunday in a launch the United States called a message to South Korea days after its new president took office pledging to engage Pyongyang in dialogue. In a unanimously agreed statement, the 15-member council said it was of vital importance that North Korea show "sincere commitment to denuclearisation through concrete action and stressed the importance of working to reduce tensions." "To that end, the Security Council demanded the Democratic People's Republic of Korea conduct no further nuclear and ballistic missile tests," the council said, adding that it was ready to impose further sanctions on the country. The statement also condemned an April 28 ballistic missile launch by Pyongyang. Following that launch, Washington began talks with North Korean ally China on possible new UN sanctions. Traditionally, the United States and China have negotiated new measures before involving remaining council members. The UN Security Council first imposed sanctions on North Korea in 2006 and has strengthened the measures in response to its five nuclear tests and two long-range rocket launches. Pyongyang is threatening a sixth nuclear test. "The members of the Security Council vowed to fully implement all measures imposed on (North Korea) by the Security Council and strongly urge all other member states to do so in an expeditious and serious manner," the statement said on Monday. North Korea made a global appeal in a letter released on Friday for states to reconsider enforcing UN sanctions on the Asian nation. North Korea has in the past year stepped up its ballistic missile tests, firing dozens of various types of rockets, according to South Korea. Experts said Sunday's successful launch signals major advances in developing an intercontinental ballistic missile, such as mastery of re-entry technology and better engine performance key to targeting the United States. (Reuters)

UN Security Council condemns North Korea's missiles tests

A group of Colombian FARC rebels on Friday became the first to formally complete a disarmament process under a peace accord to end a half-century conflict, United Nations monitors said.

&quot;A first group of 12 members of the FARC received today from the UN mission a certificate of completion of individual disarmament, which allows them to formally begin their reintegration into civilian life,&quot; the UN said in a statement.

&quot;With this event, a continuous process begins to certify the FARC members who are making the transition to civilian life after laying down their arms.&quot;

The FARC is disarming under UN supervision as part of last year&#39;s accord, which the government says will effectively end a 53-year civil conflict.

Under the accord, all the FARC&#39;s weapons are supposed to be taken away by the United Nations by the end of this month to be destroyed.

The arms were all supposed to have been handed over by May 1, but the UN said there were delays because some FARC members were late arriving at the agreed demobilization zones.

The government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the country&#39;s biggest rebel group, reached a deal after four years of negotiations.

Voters rejected the deal by a narrow margin in a referendum last October.

Colombia&#39;s President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC leaders drafted a new version of the accord and the government pushed it through congress despite ongoing resistance from critics.

Critics said the deal was too lenient on FARC members since it offered some of them reduced penalties for crimes committed during the conflict.

Santos won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts despite the referendum setback.

Under the deal Herminsul Arellan Barajas, one of the men convicted for a FARC bombing that killed 36 people in Bogota in 2003, was released from jail on parole on Friday, a source in the penitentiary service told AFP.

The government in February opened negotiations with the last active rebel force, the National Liberation Army (ELN), in the hope of sealing a &quot;complete peace.&quot;

The Colombian conflict erupted in 1964 when the FARC and ELN took up arms for rural land rights.

It drew in various rebel and paramilitary forces and drug gangs as well as state forces.

The conflict has left at least 260,000 people dead and displaced more than seven million, according to the authorities.

(AFP)

The FARC is disarming under UN supervision as part of last year's accord, which the government says will effectively end a 53-year civil conflict

A group of Colombian FARC rebels on Friday became the first to formally complete a disarmament process under a peace accord to end a half-century conflict, United Nations monitors said. "A first group of 12 members of the FARC received today from the UN mission a certificate of completion of individual disarmament, which allows them to formally begin their reintegration into civilian life," the UN said in a statement. "With this event, a continuous process begins to certify the FARC members who are making the transition to civilian life after laying down their arms." The FARC is disarming under UN supervision as part of last year's accord, which the government says will effectively end a 53-year civil conflict. Under the accord, all the FARC's weapons are supposed to be taken away by the United Nations by the end of this month to be destroyed. The arms were all supposed to have been handed over by May 1, but the UN said there were delays because some FARC members were late arriving at the agreed demobilization zones. The government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the country's biggest rebel group, reached a deal after four years of negotiations. Voters rejected the deal by a narrow margin in a referendum last October. Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC leaders drafted a new version of the accord and the government pushed it through congress despite ongoing resistance from critics. Critics said the deal was too lenient on FARC members since it offered some of them reduced penalties for crimes committed during the conflict. Santos won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts despite the referendum setback. Under the deal Herminsul Arellan Barajas, one of the men convicted for a FARC bombing that killed 36 people in Bogota in 2003, was released from jail on parole on Friday, a source in the penitentiary service told AFP. The government in February opened negotiations with the last active rebel force, the National Liberation Army (ELN), in the hope of sealing a "complete peace." The Colombian conflict erupted in 1964 when the FARC and ELN took up arms for rural land rights. It drew in various rebel and paramilitary forces and drug gangs as well as state forces. The conflict has left at least 260,000 people dead and displaced more than seven million, according to the authorities. (AFP)

First Colombia FARC rebels complete disarmament: UN

The UN said Thursday another peacekeeper has been found dead in the Central African Republic, bringing to five the toll from an attack this week, the deadliest so far against the mission in the unstable, violence-plagued nation.

Suspected anti-Balaka Christian militias attacked the UN convoy of the MINUSCA force on Monday in the southeast of the country near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

&quot;The Moroccan peacekeeper who had been reported missing has now been found dead,&quot; UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

A Cambodian soldier serving in the MINUSCA mission was killed during an exchange of gunfire and ten other peacekeepers were wounded.

The bodies of three other Cambodian peacekeepers were found on Tuesday.&nbsp;

UN officials said the bodies of the four peacekeepers were badly mutilated, to the point of making identification difficult.

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix will travel to the capital Bangui later in the day to attend a memorial on Friday for the five soldiers and to meet with the country&#39;s leaders.

He will express &quot;strong support for the UN peacekeeping mission&quot; that was set up in 2014 to help stabilize the country, Dujarric said.

MINUSCA&#39;s 10,000 troops and 2,000 police were deployed following bloody sectarian fighting that erupted after the 2013 overthrow of leader Francois Bozize.

Among Africa&#39;s poorest countries, the Central African Republic descended into bloodshed pitting the anti-Balaka fighters against the mainly Muslim Seleka coalition.

In recent days fighting has erupted between anti-Balaka militias and the UPC faction of the ex-Seleka rebels leaving around 37 people dead and many wounded, including civilians, at Alindao in the centre of the country, sources told AFP, including the Centrafrican Red Cross which added that 3,000 people were displaced.&nbsp;

&quot;We don&#39;t have an official toll for Alindao but we deeply regret to see the presence of child soldiers in the region, including in the ranks of the UPC. The situation in the region is worrying,&quot; said Herve Verhoosel, a MINUSCA spokesman.

The Moroccan royal armed forces separately said in a statement from Rabat that the body of the Moroccan peacekeeper had been returned, and that another wounded soldier remained in serious condition.

The ambush of the UN convoy took place on the Rafai-Bangassou axis, some 140 miles (220 kilometers) southeast of the city of Bria.&nbsp;

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council have strongly condemned the attack and called for those responsible to face justice.

Meanwhile, the military mission of the European Union said the first battalion of 650 Centrafrican soldiers which trained by the mission was presented to authorities in Bangui on Thursday.&nbsp;

(AFP)

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix will travel to the capital Bangui later in the day to attend a memorial on Friday for the five soldiers and to meet with the country's leaders.

The UN said Thursday another peacekeeper has been found dead in the Central African Republic, bringing to five the toll from an attack this week, the deadliest so far against the mission in the unstable, violence-plagued nation. Suspected anti-Balaka Christian militias attacked the UN convoy of the MINUSCA force on Monday in the southeast of the country near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. "The Moroccan peacekeeper who had been reported missing has now been found dead," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. A Cambodian soldier serving in the MINUSCA mission was killed during an exchange of gunfire and ten other peacekeepers were wounded. The bodies of three other Cambodian peacekeepers were found on Tuesday. UN officials said the bodies of the four peacekeepers were badly mutilated, to the point of making identification difficult. UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix will travel to the capital Bangui later in the day to attend a memorial on Friday for the five soldiers and to meet with the country's leaders. He will express "strong support for the UN peacekeeping mission" that was set up in 2014 to help stabilize the country, Dujarric said. MINUSCA's 10,000 troops and 2,000 police were deployed following bloody sectarian fighting that erupted after the 2013 overthrow of leader Francois Bozize. Among Africa's poorest countries, the Central African Republic descended into bloodshed pitting the anti-Balaka fighters against the mainly Muslim Seleka coalition. In recent days fighting has erupted between anti-Balaka militias and the UPC faction of the ex-Seleka rebels leaving around 37 people dead and many wounded, including civilians, at Alindao in the centre of the country, sources told AFP, including the Centrafrican Red Cross which added that 3,000 people were displaced. "We don't have an official toll for Alindao but we deeply regret to see the presence of child soldiers in the region, including in the ranks of the UPC. The situation in the region is worrying," said Herve Verhoosel, a MINUSCA spokesman. The Moroccan royal armed forces separately said in a statement from Rabat that the body of the Moroccan peacekeeper had been returned, and that another wounded soldier remained in serious condition. The ambush of the UN convoy took place on the Rafai-Bangassou axis, some 140 miles (220 kilometers) southeast of the city of Bria. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council have strongly condemned the attack and called for those responsible to face justice. Meanwhile, the military mission of the European Union said the first battalion of 650 Centrafrican soldiers which trained by the mission was presented to authorities in Bangui on Thursday. (AFP)

Fifth UN peacekeeper found dead in Central African Republic

Russia on Wednesday vetoed a UN draft resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of a suspected chemical attack that the West blames on President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces.

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Russia vetoes UN resolution that condemns Syria chemical attack and calls for swift investigation. <a href="https://t.co/6LM13G8xpf">https://t.co/6LM13G8xpf</a>
&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/852250316481454080">April 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block action directed at its ally in Damascus.

Britain, France and the United States put forward the measure in response to the suspected sarin gas attack in Khan Sheikhun on April 4 that left 87 dead, including 31 children.

China, another veto-holding power at the council, abstained in the vote, as did Kazakhstan and Ethiopia.&nbsp;

Bolivia voted against the measure and 10 other council members supported it.

Russia imposed its veto as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after talks in Moscow that there was a &quot;low level of trust&quot; between the United States and Russia.

The proposed resolution would have condemned the alleged attack and expressed the council&#39;s full backing to investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The draft specifically would have demanded that the Syrian government provide flight plans, flight logs and other information on its military operations on April 4, hand over the names of commanders of any aircraft and provide access to air bases to UN investigators.

(AFP)

It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block action directed at its ally in Damascus

Russia on Wednesday vetoed a UN draft resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of a suspected chemical attack that the West blames on President Bashar al-Assad's forces. Russia vetoes UN resolution that condemns Syria chemical attack and calls for swift investigation. https://t.co/6LM13G8xpf — The Associated Press (@AP) April 12, 2017 × It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block action directed at its ally in Damascus. Britain, France and the United States put forward the measure in response to the suspected sarin gas attack in Khan Sheikhun on April 4 that left 87 dead, including 31 children. China, another veto-holding power at the council, abstained in the vote, as did Kazakhstan and Ethiopia. Bolivia voted against the measure and 10 other council members supported it. Russia imposed its veto as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after talks in Moscow that there was a "low level of trust" between the United States and Russia. The proposed resolution would have condemned the alleged attack and expressed the council's full backing to investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The draft specifically would have demanded that the Syrian government provide flight plans, flight logs and other information on its military operations on April 4, hand over the names of commanders of any aircraft and provide access to air bases to UN investigators. (AFP)

Russia vetoes UN draft resolution on Syria gas attack probe

More than 300,000 people have fled Mosul since the start of the US-backed campaign to dislodge Islamic State from the northern Iraqi city in October, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

The United Nations&#39; International Organisation for Migration estimates the number of people currently displaced to be 302,400, the office of the UN&nbsp;Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq said in a statement.

Iraqi forces, backed by a US-led coalition, have taken most districts of Mosul, Islamic State&#39;s last major stronghold in Iraq and the city where the group&#39;s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared a caliphate nearly three years ago.

They are now battling to take the northwestern part from Islamic State but the civilian death toll has mounted in the densely populated Old City, where the militants are dug in amongst residents.

More people are expected to flee the fighting and camps for the displaced north and east of Mosul are expanding, the UN&nbsp;statement said.

(Reuters)

Iraqi forces, backed by a US-led coalition, have taken most districts of Mosul, Islamic State's last major stronghold in Iraq

More than 300,000 people have fled Mosul since the start of the US-backed campaign to dislodge Islamic State from the northern Iraqi city in October, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The United Nations' International Organisation for Migration estimates the number of people currently displaced to be 302,400, the office of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq said in a statement. Iraqi forces, backed by a US-led coalition, have taken most districts of Mosul, Islamic State's last major stronghold in Iraq and the city where the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared a caliphate nearly three years ago. They are now battling to take the northwestern part from Islamic State but the civilian death toll has mounted in the densely populated Old City, where the militants are dug in amongst residents. More people are expected to flee the fighting and camps for the displaced north and east of Mosul are expanding, the UN statement said. (Reuters)

Number of people displaced from Mosul exceeds 300,000: United Nations

The United Nations&#39;&nbsp;top human rights body agreed on Friday to widen its investigation into widespread violations in North Korea with a view to documenting alleged crimes against humanity for future prosecution.

North Korea said it &quot;categorically and totally&quot; rejected the resolution adopted by the UN&nbsp;Human Rights Council. The text was &quot;a product of the US&nbsp;hostile policy towards the DPRK (Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea) from A to Z,&quot; its envoy said after boycotting the debate.

The 47-member state forum adopted a resolution, brought by Japan and the European Union and backed by the United States, on the final day of its four-week session without a vote. It called for North Korea to cooperate and allow access for UN investigators, which the reclusive state has never done.

International pressure is building on the country ruled by Kim Jong Un over its nuclear tests - Fox news reported on Thursday North Korea was in the final stages of launching another one, possibly within days.

The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on foreign companies or individuals for violating export controls on North Korea, as well as Iran and Syria, the State Department said on Friday.

The UN&nbsp;human rights office in Seoul would be strengthened for two years with international criminal justice experts to establish a central repository for testimony and evidence &quot;with a view to developing possible strategies to be used in any future accountability process&quot;.

The Seoul office&#39;s current six-strong staff record testimony from interviews with dozens of North Korean defectors each week, a UN&nbsp;official told Reuters.&nbsp;

&quot;This not only brings North Koreans one step closer to justice for human rights crimes they have suffered, but should also make North Korean government officials think twice before inflicting more abuse,&quot; John Fisher from Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

A UN&nbsp;commission of inquiry, in a landmark 2014 report based on interviews and hearings with defectors, catalogued massive violations - including large prison camps, starvation and executions - that it said should be brought to the International Criminal Court.

&quot;The &#39;resolution&#39;&nbsp;is nothing more than a document for interference in internal affairs of sovereign states and represents the culmination of politicisation, selectivity and double standards of human rights,&quot; Mun Jong Chol, a counsellor at North Korea`s mission to the U.N. in Geneva, told reporters.

It was a fraudulent document full of &quot;lies, fabrications and plots&quot;, Mun said.

China said it &quot;dissociated&quot; itself from the council&#39;s decision and called for dialogue.

The situation on the divided Korean peninsula is &quot;complex and sensitive&quot; and all sides should avoid provocation that might lead to an escalation, Chinese diplomat Jiang Yingfeng said.&nbsp;

The world should &quot;focus on the bigger picture,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

The UN?human rights office in Seoul would be strengthened for two years with international criminal justice experts to establish a central repository for testimony and evidence

The United Nations' top human rights body agreed on Friday to widen its investigation into widespread violations in North Korea with a view to documenting alleged crimes against humanity for future prosecution. North Korea said it "categorically and totally" rejected the resolution adopted by the UN Human Rights Council. The text was "a product of the US hostile policy towards the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) from A to Z," its envoy said after boycotting the debate. The 47-member state forum adopted a resolution, brought by Japan and the European Union and backed by the United States, on the final day of its four-week session without a vote. It called for North Korea to cooperate and allow access for UN investigators, which the reclusive state has never done. International pressure is building on the country ruled by Kim Jong Un over its nuclear tests - Fox news reported on Thursday North Korea was in the final stages of launching another one, possibly within days. The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on foreign companies or individuals for violating export controls on North Korea, as well as Iran and Syria, the State Department said on Friday. The UN human rights office in Seoul would be strengthened for two years with international criminal justice experts to establish a central repository for testimony and evidence "with a view to developing possible strategies to be used in any future accountability process". The Seoul office's current six-strong staff record testimony from interviews with dozens of North Korean defectors each week, a UN official told Reuters. "This not only brings North Koreans one step closer to justice for human rights crimes they have suffered, but should also make North Korean government officials think twice before inflicting more abuse," John Fisher from Human Rights Watch said in a statement. A UN commission of inquiry, in a landmark 2014 report based on interviews and hearings with defectors, catalogued massive violations - including large prison camps, starvation and executions - that it said should be brought to the International Criminal Court. "The 'resolution' is nothing more than a document for interference in internal affairs of sovereign states and represents the culmination of politicisation, selectivity and double standards of human rights," Mun Jong Chol, a counsellor at North Korea`s mission to the U.N. in Geneva, told reporters. It was a fraudulent document full of "lies, fabrications and plots", Mun said. China said it "dissociated" itself from the council's decision and called for dialogue. The situation on the divided Korean peninsula is "complex and sensitive" and all sides should avoid provocation that might lead to an escalation, Chinese diplomat Jiang Yingfeng said. The world should "focus on the bigger picture," he added. (Reuters)

North Korea crimes to be documented for prosecution someday: UN

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