While Iranians would bear the brunt of Donald Trump&#39;s visa ban, if it ever comes into force, international officials say the country has quietly emerged as one of the most generous towards refugees.

&quot;The leadership demonstrated by the Iranian government has been exemplary in hosting refugees and keeping borders open,&quot; said Sivanka Dhanapala, who heads the UN High Commissioner for Refugees team in Tehran.

&quot;It&#39;s a story that&#39;s not told often enough.&quot;

Iran&nbsp;has been sheltering a million registered Afghans for almost four decades, and NGOs estimate there are around two million more living under the radar.&nbsp;

That&#39;s the fourth-largest refugee population in the world, the UN says.&nbsp;

On Wednesday a federal court in Hawaii halted Trump&#39;s new visa ban on six mostly Muslim nations including&nbsp;Iran, with a judge ruling there was a strong likelihood it would cause &quot;irreparable injury&quot; should it go ahead.

If it comes into force, the&nbsp;executive order would have a particularly tough impact on the one million Iranians living and studying in the US, as well as their families.

Foreign NGO workers have noted the irony that&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;is targeted by the ban while it continues to deal with huge numbers who have fled an American-led conflict.

Dhanapala highlighted the 2015 decree by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordering schools to take in all Afghan children, documented or not -- a move that left authorities scrambling to build the equivalent of 15,000 new classrooms.&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;ve also worked with the government on incorporating refugees into a government-sponsored health insurance scheme which is a ground-breaking development not just for&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;but globally for refugees,&quot; Dhanapala said.&nbsp;

&#39;Bitter life&#39;&nbsp;

Officials are well aware that Afghans still face a harsh existence in&nbsp;Iran.

As in many countries, Iranians are less than&nbsp;pleased to be hosting so many poor foreigners, especially when their economy has been battered by years of sanctions and mismanagement.

The result is that&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;does a lot to discourage Afghans from staying, rounding up the undocumented and sending them home.

&quot;Even someone like me, who was born in&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;and has lived here 36 years, is not yet an Iranian citizen and the discrimination I face in my education and work is suffocating,&quot; said one Afghan, a relatively well-established professional in Tehran, who asked to remain anonymous.

He is still grateful for his residency permit, which must be renewed every six to 12 months.

&quot;I have never seen Afghanistan, except for the bad images on the media and I truly fear returning,&quot; he said.

&quot;But for 36 years, I have lived in fear of my residency papers not being renewed and it has made life bitter for us.&quot;

Iran&nbsp;has tried to encourage voluntary repatriation, but with a still-raging conflict and moribund economy, only 2,426 went home of their own free will last year -- a record-low figure according to the UN.

Life in the shadows&nbsp;

Many Afghans are in&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;for work, and are a perennial sight on the margins of Tehran life as construction workers, parking attendants and rubbish-pickers.&nbsp;

&quot;What else can we do? I have two daughters and a son back in Afghanistan,&quot; said an undocumented 40-year-old who works as a cleaner and also asked not be named.&nbsp;

He gave up his refugee card so he could visit his family, and came back to&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;with a three-month visa which he could not renew.

&quot;I haven&#39;t visited home for three years. If I go, it takes five to 12 months to get another visa,&quot; he said.

He was 14 when he fled the Soviet war in the 1980s.

&quot;When they catch you on the street, it doesn&#39;t matter if you&#39;ve been here one year or 100, they take you to the deportation camp and make you pay for the bus back to the border,&quot; he said.

&quot;I&#39;ve been sent back a few times. Either you wait for a new visa or come illegally with traffickers. I don&#39;t use the traffickers -- it&#39;s horrible.&quot;

Afghan recruits&nbsp;

Foreign governments have also accused&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;of rounding up young Afghans to fight in Syria.

Iran&nbsp;denies any coercion or government sponsorship, saying they are volunteers, though the families of those killed are given special privileges.

Meanwhile, some NGO workers privately criticise the rough treatment of Afghans, especially in border regions, but all agree&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;deserves far more credit for the burden it has accepted.

The UN hopes&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;will ease restrictions on which jobs Afghans can do, and would like a formal registration process for the undocumented, although it understands fears that this could attract yet more migrants.

But, said Dhanapala, &quot;in a world where you have multiple bad stories about hosting refugees, I think&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;is really a good news story&quot;.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Iran has the fourth-largest refugee population in the world, according to the UN

While Iranians would bear the brunt of Donald Trump's visa ban, if it ever comes into force, international officials say the country has quietly emerged as one of the most generous towards refugees. "The leadership demonstrated by the Iranian government has been exemplary in hosting refugees and keeping borders open," said Sivanka Dhanapala, who heads the UN High Commissioner for Refugees team in Tehran. "It's a story that's not told often enough." Iran has been sheltering a million registered Afghans for almost four decades, and NGOs estimate there are around two million more living under the radar. That's the fourth-largest refugee population in the world, the UN says. On Wednesday a federal court in Hawaii halted Trump's new visa ban on six mostly Muslim nations including Iran, with a judge ruling there was a strong likelihood it would cause "irreparable injury" should it go ahead. If it comes into force, the executive order would have a particularly tough impact on the one million Iranians living and studying in the US, as well as their families. Foreign NGO workers have noted the irony that Iran is targeted by the ban while it continues to deal with huge numbers who have fled an American-led conflict. Dhanapala highlighted the 2015 decree by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordering schools to take in all Afghan children, documented or not -- a move that left authorities scrambling to build the equivalent of 15,000 new classrooms. "We've also worked with the government on incorporating refugees into a government-sponsored health insurance scheme which is a ground-breaking development not just for Iran but globally for refugees," Dhanapala said. 'Bitter life' Officials are well aware that Afghans still face a harsh existence in Iran. As in many countries, Iranians are less than pleased to be hosting so many poor foreigners, especially when their economy has been battered by years of sanctions and mismanagement. The result is that Iran does a lot to discourage Afghans from staying, rounding up the undocumented and sending them home. "Even someone like me, who was born in Iran and has lived here 36 years, is not yet an Iranian citizen and the discrimination I face in my education and work is suffocating," said one Afghan, a relatively well-established professional in Tehran, who asked to remain anonymous. He is still grateful for his residency permit, which must be renewed every six to 12 months. "I have never seen Afghanistan, except for the bad images on the media and I truly fear returning," he said. "But for 36 years, I have lived in fear of my residency papers not being renewed and it has made life bitter for us." Iran has tried to encourage voluntary repatriation, but with a still-raging conflict and moribund economy, only 2,426 went home of their own free will last year -- a record-low figure according to the UN. Life in the shadows Many Afghans are in Iran for work, and are a perennial sight on the margins of Tehran life as construction workers, parking attendants and rubbish-pickers. "What else can we do? I have two daughters and a son back in Afghanistan," said an undocumented 40-year-old who works as a cleaner and also asked not be named. He gave up his refugee card so he could visit his family, and came back to Iran with a three-month visa which he could not renew. "I haven't visited home for three years. If I go, it takes five to 12 months to get another visa," he said. He was 14 when he fled the Soviet war in the 1980s. "When they catch you on the street, it doesn't matter if you've been here one year or 100, they take you to the deportation camp and make you pay for the bus back to the border," he said. "I've been sent back a few times. Either you wait for a new visa or come illegally with traffickers. I don't use the traffickers -- it's horrible." Afghan recruits Foreign governments have also accused Iran of rounding up young Afghans to fight in Syria. Iran denies any coercion or government sponsorship, saying they are volunteers, though the families of those killed are given special privileges. Meanwhile, some NGO workers privately criticise the rough treatment of Afghans, especially in border regions, but all agree Iran deserves far more credit for the burden it has accepted. The UN hopes Iran will ease restrictions on which jobs Afghans can do, and would like a formal registration process for the undocumented, although it understands fears that this could attract yet more migrants. But, said Dhanapala, "in a world where you have multiple bad stories about hosting refugees, I think Iran is really a good news story". (AFP)

UN lauds Iran's 'exemplary' efforts in hosting refugees

About 2,000 people were killed and entire neighbourhoods razed in southeasternTurkey&nbsp;in 18 months of government security operations characterised by massive destruction and serious human rights violations, the United Nations said on Friday (March 10).

The UN&nbsp;human rights office said in a report on the period July 2015-December 2016 that up to 500,000 people, mostly Kurds, had been displaced, while satellite imagery showed the &quot;enormous scale of destruction of the housing stock by heavy weaponry,&quot; spokesman for the UN&nbsp;High Commissioner of Human Rights, Rupert Coleville, told reporters in Geneva.

UN&nbsp;investigators documented numerous killings, disappearances and torture, as well as other human rights violations. The most serious abuses took place during periods of curfew imposed for several days at a time.

The investigators were not granted access by&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;and as of last month the UN&nbsp;has not received any formal response to its concerns, the report said.

UN&nbsp;High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39;ad al Hussein said in a statement on Friday that&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;had &quot;contested the veracity of the very serious allegations&quot; in the report.

Coleville expressed Zeid&#39;s particular concern that an independent investigation was urgently needed.

&quot;It appears that not a single suspect was apprehended and not a single individual was prosecuted,&quot; Colville said.

Almost 800 those killed were members of the security forces, and an unspecified number of the other 1,200 may have been involved in violent or non-violent action against the state, the report said.

Among the documented killings were those of up to 189 people trapped for weeks in basements in the town of Cizre in early 2016, without water, food, medical attention or power. They were killed by fire induced by shelling.

Colville said the death toll figures came from the Turkish government. It says it is targeting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which it regards as a terrorist group.

&quot;The gravity of the allegations, the scale of the destruction, and the displacement of more than 355,000 people mean that in the High Commissioner&#39;s view, an independent investigation is both urgent and essential,&quot; Colville said.

Although Zeid has been invited to&nbsp;Turkey, Colville said a UN&nbsp;investigative team needed to go first and it would be &quot;absurd&quot; to think Zeid&#39;s visit could be a substitute.

(Reuters)

The UN?human rights office said in a report on the period July 2015-December 2016 that up to 500,000 people, mostly Kurds, had been displaced

About 2,000 people were killed and entire neighbourhoods razed in southeasternTurkey in 18 months of government security operations characterised by massive destruction and serious human rights violations, the United Nations said on Friday (March 10). The UN human rights office said in a report on the period July 2015-December 2016 that up to 500,000 people, mostly Kurds, had been displaced, while satellite imagery showed the "enormous scale of destruction of the housing stock by heavy weaponry," spokesman for the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, Rupert Coleville, told reporters in Geneva. UN investigators documented numerous killings, disappearances and torture, as well as other human rights violations. The most serious abuses took place during periods of curfew imposed for several days at a time. The investigators were not granted access by Turkey and as of last month the UN has not received any formal response to its concerns, the report said. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein said in a statement on Friday that Turkey had "contested the veracity of the very serious allegations" in the report. Coleville expressed Zeid's particular concern that an independent investigation was urgently needed. "It appears that not a single suspect was apprehended and not a single individual was prosecuted," Colville said. Almost 800 those killed were members of the security forces, and an unspecified number of the other 1,200 may have been involved in violent or non-violent action against the state, the report said. Among the documented killings were those of up to 189 people trapped for weeks in basements in the town of Cizre in early 2016, without water, food, medical attention or power. They were killed by fire induced by shelling. Colville said the death toll figures came from the Turkish government. It says it is targeting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which it regards as a terrorist group. "The gravity of the allegations, the scale of the destruction, and the displacement of more than 355,000 people mean that in the High Commissioner's view, an independent investigation is both urgent and essential," Colville said. Although Zeid has been invited to Turkey, Colville said a UN investigative team needed to go first and it would be "absurd" to think Zeid's visit could be a substitute. (Reuters)

2,000 killed in southeast Turkey over 18 months: United Nations

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday on North Korea&#39;s latest missile launches, the US mission said.

The meeting scheduled for 10:00 am (1500 GMT) was requested by the United States and Japan after Pyongyang launched at least four ballistic missiles, three of which fell in the sea close to Japan.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the latest missile tests and urged Pyongyang to &quot;refrain from further provocations&quot;.

The launches were the latest in a series of test-firings that violate UN resolutions barring Pyongyang from developing missile technology.

US ambassador Nikki Haley said on Twitter that the world &quot;won&#39;t allow&quot; North Korea to continue on its &quot;destructive path&quot;.

South Korea said four missiles were fired from Tongchang County in North Pyongan province into the East Sea -- its name for the Sea of Japan.

The missiles travelled about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) and reached an altitude of 260 kilometres (160 miles), a spokesman for South Korea&#39;s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

(AFP)

The meeting scheduled for 1500 GMT was requested by the United States and Japan after Pyongyang launched at least four ballistic missiles

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday on North Korea's latest missile launches, the US mission said. The meeting scheduled for 10:00 am (1500 GMT) was requested by the United States and Japan after Pyongyang launched at least four ballistic missiles, three of which fell in the sea close to Japan. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the latest missile tests and urged Pyongyang to "refrain from further provocations". The launches were the latest in a series of test-firings that violate UN resolutions barring Pyongyang from developing missile technology. US ambassador Nikki Haley said on Twitter that the world "won't allow" North Korea to continue on its "destructive path". South Korea said four missiles were fired from Tongchang County in North Pyongan province into the East Sea -- its name for the Sea of Japan. The missiles travelled about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) and reached an altitude of 260 kilometres (160 miles), a spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. (AFP)

UN Security Council will meet Wednesday on North Korea missile launches

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia will play out at the UN&#39;s highest court on Monday when judges begin hearing Kiev&#39;s request to order Moscow to halt support for pro-Russian separatists.

Ukraine launched the case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which handles disputes between states, in January.

It accuses Moscow of violating United Nations anti-terrorism and anti-discrimination conventions by supporting pro-Russian groups in Crimea and in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has claimed roughly 10,000 lives in the past three years.

Russia has repeatedly denied sending troops or military equipment to eastern Ukraine and is expected to challenge the jurisdiction of the court.

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Tensions have escalated since a group of Ukrainian politicians and military veterans last month launched a rail blockade of shipments, including coal, from separatist-controlled areas, causing economic pain on both sides.

Ukraine says in its filing that separatist forces, backed by Moscow, have carried out terrorist acts. It cites the bombardment of residential areas and the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014, which killed 298 passengers and crew.

In September 2016, a six-country investigative team led by the Netherlands said the plane had been shot down with a Russian-manufactured Buk surface-to-air missile from an area controlled by pro-Russian forces. The team had not yet identified suspects.

Russia has dismissed the findings of the Dutch-led international prosecutors as biased and politically motivated.

The U.N. court takes years to hear cases. Although its rulings are final and binding, it has no means of enforcement.

Monday&#39;s largely procedural hearings will focus on so-called provisional measures, which the parties may request to ensure that there is no aggravation or extension of the conflict.

In a similar case brought by Georgia against Russia, also based on the anti-discrimination treaty, the court found in 2011 that it had no jurisdiction.

(Reuters)

Ukraine launched the case at the International Court of Justice, which handles disputes between states, in January

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia will play out at the UN's highest court on Monday when judges begin hearing Kiev's request to order Moscow to halt support for pro-Russian separatists. Ukraine launched the case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which handles disputes between states, in January. It accuses Moscow of violating United Nations anti-terrorism and anti-discrimination conventions by supporting pro-Russian groups in Crimea and in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has claimed roughly 10,000 lives in the past three years. Russia has repeatedly denied sending troops or military equipment to eastern Ukraine and is expected to challenge the jurisdiction of the court. Russia has repeatedly denied sending troops or military equipment to eastern Ukraine and is expected to challenge the jurisdiction of the court × Tensions have escalated since a group of Ukrainian politicians and military veterans last month launched a rail blockade of shipments, including coal, from separatist-controlled areas, causing economic pain on both sides. Ukraine says in its filing that separatist forces, backed by Moscow, have carried out terrorist acts. It cites the bombardment of residential areas and the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014, which killed 298 passengers and crew. In September 2016, a six-country investigative team led by the Netherlands said the plane had been shot down with a Russian-manufactured Buk surface-to-air missile from an area controlled by pro-Russian forces. The team had not yet identified suspects. Russia has dismissed the findings of the Dutch-led international prosecutors as biased and politically motivated. The U.N. court takes years to hear cases. Although its rulings are final and binding, it has no means of enforcement. Monday's largely procedural hearings will focus on so-called provisional measures, which the parties may request to ensure that there is no aggravation or extension of the conflict. In a similar case brought by Georgia against Russia, also based on the anti-discrimination treaty, the court found in 2011 that it had no jurisdiction. (Reuters)

Ukraine, Russia face off in UN court over Crimean conflict

A total of 66,000 people have been displaced by fighting along two fronts in Syria&#39;s fractured north, the United Nation&#39;s humanitarian coordination agency (OCHA) said on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;This includes nearly 40,000 people from Al-Bab city and nearby Taduf town, as well as 26,000 people from communities to the east of Al-Bab&quot; in northern Aleppo province, OCHA said.&nbsp;

Turkey-backed rebels seized Al-Bab from the Islamic State group on February 23 after several months of fighting.

OCHA said the 39,766 people displaced from the town fled north to areas controlled by other rebel forces, and that the &quot;high contamination&quot; of unexploded bombs and booby traps set by retreating jihadists was complicating efforts to return.&nbsp;

And since February 25, OCHA said, another 26,000 people fled violence east of Al-Bab, where Syrian government forces have also been waging a fierce offensive against IS. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Many of those people sought refuge in areas around Manbij, a town controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.&nbsp;

On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group had said 30,000 people had been displaced by fighting between government forces and IS jihadists.&nbsp;

An AFP correspondent in Manbij saw dozens of families speeding towards the relative safety of the town on motorcycles and in minibuses and cars.

Since war broke out in Syria in March 2011, more than half of its population has been forced to flee their homes.

Aleppo province hosts tens of thousands of displaced Syrians, many in camps near the Turkish border.

(AFP)

UN said the figures include 40,000 people from Al-Bab city and nearby Taduf town and 26,000 people from communities to the east of Al-Bab

A total of 66,000 people have been displaced by fighting along two fronts in Syria's fractured north, the United Nation's humanitarian coordination agency (OCHA) said on Sunday. "This includes nearly 40,000 people from Al-Bab city and nearby Taduf town, as well as 26,000 people from communities to the east of Al-Bab" in northern Aleppo province, OCHA said. Turkey-backed rebels seized Al-Bab from the Islamic State group on February 23 after several months of fighting. OCHA said the 39,766 people displaced from the town fled north to areas controlled by other rebel forces, and that the "high contamination" of unexploded bombs and booby traps set by retreating jihadists was complicating efforts to return. And since February 25, OCHA said, another 26,000 people fled violence east of Al-Bab, where Syrian government forces have also been waging a fierce offensive against IS. Many of those people sought refuge in areas around Manbij, a town controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. On Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group had said 30,000 people had been displaced by fighting between government forces and IS jihadists. An AFP correspondent in Manbij saw dozens of families speeding towards the relative safety of the town on motorcycles and in minibuses and cars. Since war broke out in Syria in March 2011, more than half of its population has been forced to flee their homes. Aleppo province hosts tens of thousands of displaced Syrians, many in camps near the Turkish border. (AFP)

66,000 displaced in recent north Syria fighting: UN

Both sides in the battle for Aleppo committed war crimes, including Syrian government aircraft that &quot;deliberately&quot; bombed and strafed a humanitarian convoy, killing 14 aid workers and halting relief operations, UN&nbsp;investigators said on Wednesday.

Syrian and Russian forces conducted daily air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo between July and its fall on December 22, killing hundreds and destroying hospitals, they said in their latest report.

Orphanages, schools and homes were &quot;all but obliterated&quot;, panel chairman Paulo Pinheiro told a news conference.

Opposition groups shelled government-controlled western Aleppo, killing and injuring dozens, the report said. They prevented civilians from fleeing besieged eastern Aleppo, using them as human shields - a war crime.

&quot;The scale of what happened in Aleppo is unprecedented in the Syrian conflict. Much of Aleppo, once Syria&#39;s biggest city and its commercial and culture centre and a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been reduced to rubble,&quot; Pinheiro said.

He called for ensuring that &quot;those responsible for this ruinous situation one day are brought to justice&quot;.

His team was ready to share its confidential list of suspected war criminals on all sides with a new UN&nbsp;body on Syria being set up in Geneva to prepare criminal prosecutions.

&quot;It cannot pass without having this step toward justice, because of the great numbers of victims,&quot; panel member Carla del Ponte said. &quot;We are still far off.&quot;

Satellite imagery

Cluster munitions were &quot;pervasively used&quot; and air-dropped into densely populated areas, the report said, amounting to the war crime of indiscriminate attacks.

But investigators could not say whether both Syrian and Russian forces used them in Aleppo or only one had because of similarities in the weapons and aircraft used.

They also did not attribute any specific war crime investigated to Russian forces but Pinheiro said they would assign responsibility &quot;if and when we can prove it&quot;.

The UN&nbsp;Commission of Inquiry&#39;s report - released as Syrian peace talks continue in Geneva - covers the July-December period and is based on 291 interviews with victims and witnesses, as well as analysis of forensic evidence and satellite imagery.

Syrian helicopters unleashed toxic chlorine bombs &quot;throughout 2016&quot; on Aleppo, a banned weapon that caused hundreds of civilian casualties there, it said.

At least 5,000 pro-government forces had encircled eastern Aleppo in a &quot;surrender or starve&quot; tactic.

The investigators accused the Syrian government of a &quot;meticulously planned and ruthlessly carried out&quot; air strike on a UN&nbsp;and Syrian Red Crescent convoy at Orum al-Kubra, in rural western Aleppo on Sept&nbsp;19 that killed 14 aid workers.

A previous UN&nbsp;inquiry had been unable to determine who conducted the strike.

&quot;By using air-delivered munitions with the knowledge that humanitarian workers were operating in the location, Syrian forces committed the war crimes of deliberately attacking humanitarian relief personnel, denial of humanitarian aid, and attacking civilians,&quot; the report said.

Survivors &quot;consistently described&quot; three stages of attack&nbsp;corroborated by photographs of remnants and satellite analysis.

&quot;First helicopters dropped barrel bombs, which struck the warehouse and a family home nearby ... Subsequently, planes, described by several witnesses as Sukhoi jets, carried out attacks, killing several aid workers. Lastly, the aircraft fired machine guns at survivors.&quot;

(Reuters)

UN investigators said both Syria and Russia conducted daily air strikes on eastern Aleppo in 2016, killing hundreds and destroying hospitals

Both sides in the battle for Aleppo committed war crimes, including Syrian government aircraft that "deliberately" bombed and strafed a humanitarian convoy, killing 14 aid workers and halting relief operations, UN investigators said on Wednesday. Syrian and Russian forces conducted daily air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo between July and its fall on December 22, killing hundreds and destroying hospitals, they said in their latest report. Orphanages, schools and homes were "all but obliterated", panel chairman Paulo Pinheiro told a news conference. Opposition groups shelled government-controlled western Aleppo, killing and injuring dozens, the report said. They prevented civilians from fleeing besieged eastern Aleppo, using them as human shields - a war crime. "The scale of what happened in Aleppo is unprecedented in the Syrian conflict. Much of Aleppo, once Syria's biggest city and its commercial and culture centre and a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been reduced to rubble," Pinheiro said. He called for ensuring that "those responsible for this ruinous situation one day are brought to justice". His team was ready to share its confidential list of suspected war criminals on all sides with a new UN body on Syria being set up in Geneva to prepare criminal prosecutions. "It cannot pass without having this step toward justice, because of the great numbers of victims," panel member Carla del Ponte said. "We are still far off." Satellite imagery Cluster munitions were "pervasively used" and air-dropped into densely populated areas, the report said, amounting to the war crime of indiscriminate attacks. But investigators could not say whether both Syrian and Russian forces used them in Aleppo or only one had because of similarities in the weapons and aircraft used. They also did not attribute any specific war crime investigated to Russian forces but Pinheiro said they would assign responsibility "if and when we can prove it". The UN Commission of Inquiry's report - released as Syrian peace talks continue in Geneva - covers the July-December period and is based on 291 interviews with victims and witnesses, as well as analysis of forensic evidence and satellite imagery. Syrian helicopters unleashed toxic chlorine bombs "throughout 2016" on Aleppo, a banned weapon that caused hundreds of civilian casualties there, it said. At least 5,000 pro-government forces had encircled eastern Aleppo in a "surrender or starve" tactic. The investigators accused the Syrian government of a "meticulously planned and ruthlessly carried out" air strike on a UN and Syrian Red Crescent convoy at Orum al-Kubra, in rural western Aleppo on Sept 19 that killed 14 aid workers. A previous UN inquiry had been unable to determine who conducted the strike. "By using air-delivered munitions with the knowledge that humanitarian workers were operating in the location, Syrian forces committed the war crimes of deliberately attacking humanitarian relief personnel, denial of humanitarian aid, and attacking civilians," the report said. Survivors "consistently described" three stages of attack corroborated by photographs of remnants and satellite analysis. "First helicopters dropped barrel bombs, which struck the warehouse and a family home nearby ... Subsequently, planes, described by several witnesses as Sukhoi jets, carried out attacks, killing several aid workers. Lastly, the aircraft fired machine guns at survivors." (Reuters)

Syrian air force 'deliberately' bombed humanitarian convoy in Aleppo: UN

Syrian government and opposition delegates to peace talks in Geneva on Saturday warned of the impact on negotiations after a day of violence in Syria that included jihadist suicide bombings and missile strikes by the air force.

The United Nations opened the peace talks with a symbolic ceremony on Thursday in Geneva, attended by representatives of the warring sides. But there has been no further direct contact with UN&nbsp;mediator Staffan de Mistura, who is still trying to get agreement on how the talks should be arranged.

With tensions palpable among participants, the United Nations is treading carefully in its efforts to revive negotiations after a 10-month hiatus.

&quot;Every time we have talks, or negotiations, there is always someone who tries to spoil,&quot; de Mistura told reporters before meeting the government delegation. &quot;I am expecting (it),&quot; he said.

A ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey with Iran&#39;s support is increasingly violated with groups opposed to the truce and the Geneva process also attempting to force their collapse.

Suicide bombers stormed two Syrian security offices in Homs on Saturday, killing dozens with gunfire and explosions including the head of military security, prompting airstrikes against the last rebel-held enclave in the western city.&nbsp;

The jihadist rebel alliance Tahrir al-Sham, which opposes the talks - although it has fought alongside factions that are represented there - said that five suicide bombers had carried out the attack. It celebrated with the words &quot;thanks be to God&quot; but stopped short of explicitly claiming responsibility.

Tahrir al-Sham was formed this year from several groups including Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which was formerly known as the Nusra Front and was al Qaeda&#39;s Syrian branch until it broke formal allegiance to the global jihadist movement in 2016.

Warplanes also carried out six raids on Douma in the eastern suburbs of Damascus, resulting in six deaths, and earlier, an air raid in Hama killed four people from the same family, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Speaking to Reuters, Basma Kodmani, a negotiator from the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said groups backing the talks had abided by the ceasefire, but questioned the government&#39;s commitment and whether Russia, a key Assad ally, was ready to pressure it to curb the violence.&nbsp;

&quot;The ceasefire...is violated today in the most horrible way,&quot; she said. &quot;The use of napalm yesterday and today massive air bombings on the suburb of Waer of homs city. That is giving us very negative intentions about what the regime&rsquo;s intentions are,&quot; she said.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said it had written to the United Nations demanding condemnation for Saturday&#39;s attack and what it called other terrorist acts. Damascus regards all the groups fighting against it as terrorists.

&quot;The terrorist explosions that hit Homs city are a message to Geneva from sponsors of terrorism, and we tell everyone that the message is received and this crime won&#39;t pass unnoticed,&quot; the government&#39;s chief negotiator Bashar Ja&#39;afari told reporters.

Although Assad&#39;s government has controlled most of Homs since 2014, rebels still control its al-Waer district, which warplanes bombed on Saturday, wounding 50, the Observatory said.

&quot;If it (ceasefire)is not credible, if nothing is happening here in Geneva, I fear that the ceasefire even for the opposition is going to collapse,&quot; Kodmani said.

&quot;Where is Russia to get compliance again from the regime so that the talks in Geneva can take place?&quot;

De Mistura handed a working paper on procedural issues to delegations at the talks on Friday, but there appeared little prospect of them meeting directly soon. Further bilateral talks are scheduled for later on Saturday.

The envoy is looking to lay the foundations for negotiations to end the six-year-old conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

&quot;It may be good not to have too high expectations but it also reflects the state of things,&quot; said a Western diplomat.

&quot;To get them in the room is symbolic. But there is no way you can get anything out of that at the moment unless you have the beginning of an agreement between the backers.&quot;

(Reuters)

'Every time we have talks, or negotiations, there is always someone who tries to spoil,' UN mediator Staffan de Mistura told reporters

Syrian government and opposition delegates to peace talks in Geneva on Saturday warned of the impact on negotiations after a day of violence in Syria that included jihadist suicide bombings and missile strikes by the air force. The United Nations opened the peace talks with a symbolic ceremony on Thursday in Geneva, attended by representatives of the warring sides. But there has been no further direct contact with UN mediator Staffan de Mistura, who is still trying to get agreement on how the talks should be arranged. With tensions palpable among participants, the United Nations is treading carefully in its efforts to revive negotiations after a 10-month hiatus. "Every time we have talks, or negotiations, there is always someone who tries to spoil," de Mistura told reporters before meeting the government delegation. "I am expecting (it)," he said. A ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey with Iran's support is increasingly violated with groups opposed to the truce and the Geneva process also attempting to force their collapse. Suicide bombers stormed two Syrian security offices in Homs on Saturday, killing dozens with gunfire and explosions including the head of military security, prompting airstrikes against the last rebel-held enclave in the western city. The jihadist rebel alliance Tahrir al-Sham, which opposes the talks - although it has fought alongside factions that are represented there - said that five suicide bombers had carried out the attack. It celebrated with the words "thanks be to God" but stopped short of explicitly claiming responsibility. Tahrir al-Sham was formed this year from several groups including Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which was formerly known as the Nusra Front and was al Qaeda's Syrian branch until it broke formal allegiance to the global jihadist movement in 2016. Warplanes also carried out six raids on Douma in the eastern suburbs of Damascus, resulting in six deaths, and earlier, an air raid in Hama killed four people from the same family, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Speaking to Reuters, Basma Kodmani, a negotiator from the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said groups backing the talks had abided by the ceasefire, but questioned the government's commitment and whether Russia, a key Assad ally, was ready to pressure it to curb the violence. "The ceasefire...is violated today in the most horrible way," she said. "The use of napalm yesterday and today massive air bombings on the suburb of Waer of homs city. That is giving us very negative intentions about what the regime’s intentions are," she said. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said it had written to the United Nations demanding condemnation for Saturday's attack and what it called other terrorist acts. Damascus regards all the groups fighting against it as terrorists. "The terrorist explosions that hit Homs city are a message to Geneva from sponsors of terrorism, and we tell everyone that the message is received and this crime won't pass unnoticed," the government's chief negotiator Bashar Ja'afari told reporters. Although Assad's government has controlled most of Homs since 2014, rebels still control its al-Waer district, which warplanes bombed on Saturday, wounding 50, the Observatory said. "If it (ceasefire)is not credible, if nothing is happening here in Geneva, I fear that the ceasefire even for the opposition is going to collapse," Kodmani said. "Where is Russia to get compliance again from the regime so that the talks in Geneva can take place?" De Mistura handed a working paper on procedural issues to delegations at the talks on Friday, but there appeared little prospect of them meeting directly soon. Further bilateral talks are scheduled for later on Saturday. The envoy is looking to lay the foundations for negotiations to end the six-year-old conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. "It may be good not to have too high expectations but it also reflects the state of things," said a Western diplomat. "To get them in the room is symbolic. But there is no way you can get anything out of that at the moment unless you have the beginning of an agreement between the backers." (Reuters)

Violence in Syria rattles regime, rebel peace talks in Geneva

UN aid agencies need $4.4 billion in emergency funding to address famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday.

More than 20 million people face&nbsp;starvation in the four countries and action is needed now to avert a humanitarian disaster, Guterres told a news conference at UN headquarters.

&quot;We need $4.4 billion by the end of March to avert a catastrophe,&quot; he said.

So far, the United Nations has raised $90 million to fund a global response to the four famine alerts, which are unprecedented in recent decades.

South Sudan on Monday declared a famine in parts of the north, while Fews Net, the famine early warning system, has said that some remote areas of northeast Nigeria are affected by starvation since late last year.

There has only been one famine since 2000, in Somalia. At least 260,000 people died in the 2011 disaster , half of them children under the age of five, according to the UN World Food Program.

The UN children&#39;s agency UNICEF this week said almost 1.4 million children acutely malnourished in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen could die as food shortages worsen in the coming months.

Of the four famine alerts, only one, Somalia, is caused by drought, while the other three stem from conflicts, described as &quot;man-made food crises.&quot;

In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, about 7.3 million people need food aid now, in the &quot;largest food insecurity emergency in the world,&quot; said Guterres.

Un-blocking aid

The Saudi-led coalition waging a military campaign against rebels in Yemen has been accused of imposing a blockade on Yemen, which relies almost entirely on imports.

The UN chief appealed to warring sides to allow aid workers to reach starving civilians.

&quot;The situation is so dire. This is the moment in which international humanitarian law must be respected by all and access must be granted to all areas,&quot; said Guterres.

Across northeast Nigeria, some 5.1 million people face severe food shortages and nearly 500,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition as the conflict with Boko Haram militants grinds on.&nbsp;

Famine has already been declared in two counties of South Sudan and nearly 5 million people are in desperate need of food.

Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, appeared at a news conference with top aid officials who stressed they had contingency plans in place, but needed funds to swing into action.

The appeal came as humanitarian aid groups are already struggling to meet needs in Syria and cope with the global refugee crisis.

The International Rescue Committee said Wednesday that the famine designation in South Sudan meant that people were already dying and that the international response was too late.

&quot;These crises remain among the least discussed and most underfunded in the world despite their extraordinary scale, scope and man-made origins. This is absurd,&quot; said Ciaran Donnelly, international programs director at the IRC.

&quot;The IRC and other aid groups have been raising the alarm of an impending famine in South Sudan for months, and instead of taking the warnings seriously, it fell largely on deaf ears,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(AFP)

More than 20 million people face?starvation in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen

UN aid agencies need $4.4 billion in emergency funding to address famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday. More than 20 million people face starvation in the four countries and action is needed now to avert a humanitarian disaster, Guterres told a news conference at UN headquarters. "We need $4.4 billion by the end of March to avert a catastrophe," he said. So far, the United Nations has raised $90 million to fund a global response to the four famine alerts, which are unprecedented in recent decades. South Sudan on Monday declared a famine in parts of the north, while Fews Net, the famine early warning system, has said that some remote areas of northeast Nigeria are affected by starvation since late last year. There has only been one famine since 2000, in Somalia. At least 260,000 people died in the 2011 disaster , half of them children under the age of five, according to the UN World Food Program. The UN children's agency UNICEF this week said almost 1.4 million children acutely malnourished in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen could die as food shortages worsen in the coming months. Of the four famine alerts, only one, Somalia, is caused by drought, while the other three stem from conflicts, described as "man-made food crises." In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, about 7.3 million people need food aid now, in the "largest food insecurity emergency in the world," said Guterres. Un-blocking aid The Saudi-led coalition waging a military campaign against rebels in Yemen has been accused of imposing a blockade on Yemen, which relies almost entirely on imports. The UN chief appealed to warring sides to allow aid workers to reach starving civilians. "The situation is so dire. This is the moment in which international humanitarian law must be respected by all and access must be granted to all areas," said Guterres. Across northeast Nigeria, some 5.1 million people face severe food shortages and nearly 500,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition as the conflict with Boko Haram militants grinds on. Famine has already been declared in two counties of South Sudan and nearly 5 million people are in desperate need of food. Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, appeared at a news conference with top aid officials who stressed they had contingency plans in place, but needed funds to swing into action. The appeal came as humanitarian aid groups are already struggling to meet needs in Syria and cope with the global refugee crisis. The International Rescue Committee said Wednesday that the famine designation in South Sudan meant that people were already dying and that the international response was too late. "These crises remain among the least discussed and most underfunded in the world despite their extraordinary scale, scope and man-made origins. This is absurd," said Ciaran Donnelly, international programs director at the IRC. "The IRC and other aid groups have been raising the alarm of an impending famine in South Sudan for months, and instead of taking the warnings seriously, it fell largely on deaf ears," he added. (AFP)

UN needs emergency funding of $4.4 bn for famine relief in four countries

Almost 1.4 million children suffering from severe malnutrition could die this year from famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, the UN children&#39;s agency said Monday.

In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, 462,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition while 450,000 children are severely malnourished in northeast Nigeria.

Fews Net, the famine early warning system, said some remote areas of Nigeria&#39;s Borno state are already affected by famine since late last year and the disaster is likely to continue as aid agencies are unable to reach those in need.

Drought in Somalia has left 185,000 children on the brink of famine but that figure is expected to reach 270,000 in the next few months, said UNICEF.

In South Sudan, over 270,000 children are malnourished and a famine has just been declared in parts of Unity State in the north of the country, where 20,000 children live.&nbsp;

UNICEF director Anthony Lake appealed for quick action. &quot;We can still save many lives,&quot; he said.

UN Security Council ambassadors are due to travel to northern Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger next month to draw international attention to the humanitarian crisis triggered by the conflict with Boko Haram militants.

(AFP)

In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, 462,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition

Almost 1.4 million children suffering from severe malnutrition could die this year from famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, the UN children's agency said Monday. In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, 462,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition while 450,000 children are severely malnourished in northeast Nigeria. Fews Net, the famine early warning system, said some remote areas of Nigeria's Borno state are already affected by famine since late last year and the disaster is likely to continue as aid agencies are unable to reach those in need. Drought in Somalia has left 185,000 children on the brink of famine but that figure is expected to reach 270,000 in the next few months, said UNICEF. In South Sudan, over 270,000 children are malnourished and a famine has just been declared in parts of Unity State in the north of the country, where 20,000 children live. UNICEF director Anthony Lake appealed for quick action. "We can still save many lives," he said. UN Security Council ambassadors are due to travel to northern Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger next month to draw international attention to the humanitarian crisis triggered by the conflict with Boko Haram militants. (AFP)

1.4 million malnourished children could die due to famine in four countries: UN

Parts of war-ravaged&nbsp;South&nbsp;Sudan&nbsp;have been hit by famine, a government official said on Monday, saying nearly half the country&#39;s population would lack reliable access to affordable food by July.&nbsp;

Oil-rich&nbsp;South&nbsp;Sudan&nbsp;has been mired in civil war since 2013, when President Salva Kii fired his deputy. Since then the fighting has increasingly split the country along ethnic lines, leading the United Nations to warn of a potential genocide.&nbsp;

The fighting has prevented many farmers from harvesting their crops while hyper inflation which reached more than 800 per cent last year has put the price of imported food beyond the reach of many.&nbsp;

Parts of the country have also been hit by drought.&nbsp;

Chairman of&nbsp;South&nbsp;Sudan&#39;s National Bureau of Statistic Isaiah Chol Aruai said 4.9 million people what is termed &quot;food insecure&quot; between February and April, with that number rising to 5.5 million by July.

&quot;The long term effects of the conflict coupled with high food prices, economic crisis, low agricultural production and depleted livelihood options are all contributing to deterioration of food security situation,&quot; he told a news conference in Juba.&nbsp;

According to the United Nations, famine is declared when at least 20 per cent of households in an area face extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition rates exceed 30 per cent, and two or more people per 10,000 are dying per day.

United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator Eugene Owuso said that food insecurity is largely because of conflict as well as other factors.

&quot;Largely because of the insecurity, is largely because the access challenges humanitarians have periodically had, it&#39;s also because of attacks on humanitarian workers and also the looting of humanitarian assets,&quot; he said.

Many parts of the country are very hard to reach. Six years after independence from neighbouring Sudan,&nbsp;South&nbsp;Sudan&nbsp;only has only 200 km (120 miles) of paved roads in a nation the size of Texas. Fighting also impedes aid delivery; warehouses have been looted and aid workers have been killed.

(Reuters)

Fighting has prevented many farmers from harvesting their crops while hyper inflation?has put imported food beyond the reach of many

Parts of war-ravaged South Sudan have been hit by famine, a government official said on Monday, saying nearly half the country's population would lack reliable access to affordable food by July. Oil-rich South Sudan has been mired in civil war since 2013, when President Salva Kii fired his deputy. Since then the fighting has increasingly split the country along ethnic lines, leading the United Nations to warn of a potential genocide. The fighting has prevented many farmers from harvesting their crops while hyper inflation which reached more than 800 per cent last year has put the price of imported food beyond the reach of many. Parts of the country have also been hit by drought. Chairman of South Sudan's National Bureau of Statistic Isaiah Chol Aruai said 4.9 million people what is termed "food insecure" between February and April, with that number rising to 5.5 million by July. "The long term effects of the conflict coupled with high food prices, economic crisis, low agricultural production and depleted livelihood options are all contributing to deterioration of food security situation," he told a news conference in Juba. According to the United Nations, famine is declared when at least 20 per cent of households in an area face extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition rates exceed 30 per cent, and two or more people per 10,000 are dying per day. United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator Eugene Owuso said that food insecurity is largely because of conflict as well as other factors. "Largely because of the insecurity, is largely because the access challenges humanitarians have periodically had, it's also because of attacks on humanitarian workers and also the looting of humanitarian assets," he said. Many parts of the country are very hard to reach. Six years after independence from neighbouring Sudan, South Sudan only has only 200 km (120 miles) of paved roads in a nation the size of Texas. Fighting also impedes aid delivery; warehouses have been looted and aid workers have been killed. (Reuters)

Famine hits South Sudan, about half the country will lack reliable access to affordable food by July?

US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said, on Thursday, that America still supports the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

&quot;First of all, the two-state solution is what we support. Anybody that wants to say the United States does not support the two-state solution - that would be an error,&quot; Haley told reporters at the United Nations.

&quot;We absolutely support the two-state solution but we are thinking out of the box as well: which is what does it take to bring these two sides to the table; what do we need to have them agree on,&quot; she added.

The statement made by her assumes significance as it comes a day after President Trump, in a joint press conference with Israel&#39;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that he was open to new ways to achieve peace.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m looking at two states and one state, and I like the one both parties like. I can live with either one,&quot; the President said.

Trump said that the US will work towards building peace between the two sides but it was up to the two parties to decide the terms of the agreement.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The statement comes a day after Trump announced that he was open to consider all options for peace to return between the two sides

US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said, on Thursday, that America still supports the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. "First of all, the two-state solution is what we support. Anybody that wants to say the United States does not support the two-state solution - that would be an error," Haley told reporters at the United Nations. "We absolutely support the two-state solution but we are thinking out of the box as well: which is what does it take to bring these two sides to the table; what do we need to have them agree on," she added. The statement made by her assumes significance as it comes a day after President Trump, in a joint press conference with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that he was open to new ways to achieve peace. "I'm looking at two states and one state, and I like the one both parties like. I can live with either one," the President said. Trump said that the US will work towards building peace between the two sides but it was up to the two parties to decide the terms of the agreement. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

US still supports a two-state solution to Israel-Palestine conflict: Nikki Haley

The US has moved the United Nations to ban Jaish-e-Mohammed&nbsp;chief Masood Azhar but China has opposed the move, PTI reports.

India&#39;s repeated attempts to get him declared a UN-designated terrorist have been blocked by China.

Masood Azhar, who heads the terrorist organistaion Jaish-e-Mohammed, is allegedly the mastermind of the&nbsp;attack on the Pathankot airbase in India last year.&nbsp;Masood&#39;s Jaish-e-Mohammed is also linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.&nbsp;

In October 2016, China had blocked India&#39;s appeal to the United Nations to label Masood a terrorist. This time,&nbsp;in a first, the US administration headed by President Trump has moved the United Nations to declare Masood a terrorist.

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency&#39;s(NIA) special court in India today&nbsp;issued proclamation order against JeM&#39;s chief Maulana Masood Azhar and three others, news agencies reported.&nbsp;

PTI quoting senior government sources said, the US, supported by two other permanent members of UN Security Council - the UK and France - moved a proposal at the UN&#39;s Sanctions Committee 1267 in the second-half of the last month to proscribe Azhar, adding India had no role in the proposal.

The proposal, which was finalised after &quot;consultations&quot; between Washington and New Delhi, said JeM is a designated terror outfit and so its leaders cannot go scot-free, sources told PTI. It was submitted just a day before the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, according to officials.

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We&#39;ve been informed of this development.Taken up matter with Chinese Govt-V Swarup on China blocking US&#39; move at UN for banning Masood Azhar <a href="https://t.co/QSbta679ZR">pic.twitter.com/QSbta679ZR</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/828956016859451393">February 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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(WION with inputs from PTI)

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India's repeated attempts to get Masood Azhar declared a UN-designated terrorist have been blocked by China

The US has moved the United Nations to ban Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar but China has opposed the move, PTI reports. India's repeated attempts to get him declared a UN-designated terrorist have been blocked by China. Masood Azhar, who heads the terrorist organistaion Jaish-e-Mohammed, is allegedly the mastermind of the attack on the Pathankot airbase in India last year. Masood's Jaish-e-Mohammed is also linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In October 2016, China had blocked India's appeal to the United Nations to label Masood a terrorist. This time, in a first, the US administration headed by President Trump has moved the United Nations to declare Masood a terrorist. Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency's(NIA) special court in India today issued proclamation order against JeM's chief Maulana Masood Azhar and three others, news agencies reported. PTI quoting senior government sources said, the US, supported by two other permanent members of UN Security Council - the UK and France - moved a proposal at the UN's Sanctions Committee 1267 in the second-half of the last month to proscribe Azhar, adding India had no role in the proposal. The proposal, which was finalised after "consultations" between Washington and New Delhi, said JeM is a designated terror outfit and so its leaders cannot go scot-free, sources told PTI. It was submitted just a day before the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, according to officials. We've been informed of this development.Taken up matter with Chinese Govt-V Swarup on China blocking US' move at UN for banning Masood Azhar pic.twitter.com/QSbta679ZR — ANI (@ANI_news) February 7, 2017 × (WION with inputs from PTI)

US moves UN to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar, China opposes

The number of children killed and injured in&nbsp;Afghanistan spiked 24 per cent in 2016, with 923 killed and 2,589 injured, according to a report issued by the United Nations on Monday.

The report also said that 2016 recorded the most deaths and injuries from air strikes since 2009.&nbsp;

Civilian casualties increased by three&nbsp;per cent year-on-year in 2016, the UN investigators said. A total of 3,498 civilians were killed and 7,920 wounded in the conflict in 2016.

&quot;Against a backdrop of protracted ground fighting, the battlefield permeated civilian sanctuaries that should be spared from harm, with suicide attacks in mosques; targeted attacks against district centres, bazaars and residential homes; and the use of schools and hospitals for military purposes,&quot; the United Nations said.

About 61 per cent of all civilian casualties were caused by anti-government groups like the Taliban and Islamic State, it said.

The United Nations attributed at least 4,953 deaths and injuries to the Taliban, but in a shift in 2016, investigators documented a tenfold increase in casualties caused by Islamic State militants.

At least 899 deaths and injuries were attributed to Islamic State.

Afghan security forces caused about 20 per cent of the overall casualties, while pro-government militias and international forces caused two&nbsp;per cent each, the UN said.

The conflict in Afghanistan has killed 24,841 civilians and injured 45,347 since 2009, according to the UN report.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

In a major shift in 2016, investigators documented a tenfold rise in casualties caused by Islamic State militants

The number of children killed and injured in Afghanistan spiked 24 per cent in 2016, with 923 killed and 2,589 injured, according to a report issued by the United Nations on Monday. The report also said that 2016 recorded the most deaths and injuries from air strikes since 2009. Civilian casualties increased by three per cent year-on-year in 2016, the UN investigators said. A total of 3,498 civilians were killed and 7,920 wounded in the conflict in 2016. "Against a backdrop of protracted ground fighting, the battlefield permeated civilian sanctuaries that should be spared from harm, with suicide attacks in mosques; targeted attacks against district centres, bazaars and residential homes; and the use of schools and hospitals for military purposes," the United Nations said. About 61 per cent of all civilian casualties were caused by anti-government groups like the Taliban and Islamic State, it said. The United Nations attributed at least 4,953 deaths and injuries to the Taliban, but in a shift in 2016, investigators documented a tenfold increase in casualties caused by Islamic State militants. At least 899 deaths and injuries were attributed to Islamic State. Afghan security forces caused about 20 per cent of the overall casualties, while pro-government militias and international forces caused two per cent each, the UN said. The conflict in Afghanistan has killed 24,841 civilians and injured 45,347 since 2009, according to the UN report. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Afghan war: Casualty figures among children saw sharp spike in 2016, UN says

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for lifting a US ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, saying the measures would not prevent terrorists from entering the United States.

&quot;I think that these measures should be removed sooner rather than later,&quot; Guterres told reporters.

&quot;Those measures indeed violate our basic principles and I think that they are not effective if the objective is to, really, avoid terrorists to enter the United States,&quot; he said.

The appeal to end the travel ban came amid a mounting international outcry over the 90-day entry restrictions on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday enacting the immediate ban and also suspending the arrival of all refugees for a minimum of 120 days while Syrian refugees were barred indefinitely.&nbsp;

Addressing the US suspension of refugee resettlement and the ban on Syrians, Guterres again appealed to the US administration to reverse course.

&quot;Resettlement is the must from the point of view of refugee protection,&quot; said Guterres, who served as UN refugee chief for 10 years before his election as secretary-general.

&quot;I strongly hope that the US will be able to re-establish its very solid refugee protection in resettlement and I hope that the Syrians will not be excluded in that process.&quot;

Trump`s decision triggered protests and chaos at airports while UN human rights chief Zeid bin Ra`ad Zeid al-Hussein declared it illegal and &quot;mean-spirited&quot;.

Guterres, who took over from South Korea&#39;s Ban Ki-moon on January 1, argued that banning citizens from Muslim countries would not prevent terrorist organizations from mounting an attack on the United States.

&quot;We are dealing with very sophisticated terrorist organizations,&quot; he said.

&quot;If a global terrorist organization will try to attack any country like the United States, they will probably not come with people with passports from those countries that are hotspots of conflicts today.&quot;

&quot;They might come with the passports from the most -- I would say -- developed and credible countries in the world or they might use people who are already in the country.&quot;

(AFP)

'I think that these measures should be removed sooner rather than later,' Guterres, who served as UN refugee chief, said

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for lifting a US ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, saying the measures would not prevent terrorists from entering the United States. "I think that these measures should be removed sooner rather than later," Guterres told reporters. "Those measures indeed violate our basic principles and I think that they are not effective if the objective is to, really, avoid terrorists to enter the United States," he said. The appeal to end the travel ban came amid a mounting international outcry over the 90-day entry restrictions on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday enacting the immediate ban and also suspending the arrival of all refugees for a minimum of 120 days while Syrian refugees were barred indefinitely. Addressing the US suspension of refugee resettlement and the ban on Syrians, Guterres again appealed to the US administration to reverse course. "Resettlement is the must from the point of view of refugee protection," said Guterres, who served as UN refugee chief for 10 years before his election as secretary-general. "I strongly hope that the US will be able to re-establish its very solid refugee protection in resettlement and I hope that the Syrians will not be excluded in that process." Trump`s decision triggered protests and chaos at airports while UN human rights chief Zeid bin Ra`ad Zeid al-Hussein declared it illegal and "mean-spirited". Guterres, who took over from South Korea's Ban Ki-moon on January 1, argued that banning citizens from Muslim countries would not prevent terrorist organizations from mounting an attack on the United States. "We are dealing with very sophisticated terrorist organizations," he said. "If a global terrorist organization will try to attack any country like the United States, they will probably not come with people with passports from those countries that are hotspots of conflicts today." "They might come with the passports from the most -- I would say -- developed and credible countries in the world or they might use people who are already in the country." (AFP)

United Nations chief to US: Lift ban on travellers from 7 Muslim-majority countries

UN-led peace talks on Syria have been postponed until February 20 to allow a ceasefire to take hold and to give the opposition time to present a united front, the UN envoy said Tuesday.

The talks in Geneva had been scheduled to begin on February 8 but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week announced they would be delayed, without providing reasons.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura told a closed meeting of the Security Council that the postponement would help bolster preparations for the talks aimed at ending the nearly six-year war.

&quot;We want to give a chance both to the government to become seriously engaged in discussions and the opposition (...) to actually be able to be given a chance to come with one unified opposition,&quot; De Mistura told reporters after the meeting.

Russia, Iran and Turkey last week led talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana on shoring up a ceasefire in Syria, where more than 310,000 people have died.

&quot;If the ceasefire becomes as solid as we hope that will only help the Syria talks,&quot; said the envoy.

The Syrian opposition has been divided over representation to the talks.

De Mistura warned that if the opposition failed to agree on the composition of the delegation by February 8, he will select the representatives from the various groups who will come to the peace table.

&quot;If by the 8th of February, the opposition will not be ready to come up with a unified group, I will have to ....actually select the delegation in order to make sure that it can be as inclusive as possible,&quot; he said.The council heard a report from De Mistura amid concerns that the Astana discussions could open up a new track of negotiations.

During the Astana talks, Russia, Syria`s main ally, presented opposition rebels with a draft constitution that was immediately rejected by the groups.

The unilateral move by Russia raised concern in Western capitals.

&quot;We have been concerned that the Geneva talks have been delayed and we would be concerned if there were any watering down of the basis of those talks,&quot; British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters.

&quot;It`s very important that there is confirmation that the UN will lead the next round of talks,&quot; said Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog, this month`s council president.

&quot;The UN has to be front and center in the political process,&quot; said French Ambassador Francois Delattre.

He cited the need to respect the Geneva communique agreed with Russia that calls for a transition in Syria.

&quot;We start with a transition, then the constitution, and then the elections,&quot; said Delattre. &quot;I think if we can all stay on this line, then we can move.&quot;

Previous UN-led talks have broken down over disagreements on ensuring a transition in Damascus that would lead to President Bashar al-Assad`s exit from power.

Western powers have for weeks questioned the purpose of the Astana talks and raised concern that they could sideline the Geneva talks.

Turkey, which backs rebel forces, has for the first time conceded that a peace deal that excludes Assad from power might not be possible.

The new date was announced after US Ambassador Nikki Haley meet with De Mistura on Monday to discuss the way forward in Syria.

(AFP)

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura told a closed meeting of the Security Council that the postponement would help bolster preparations for the talk

UN-led peace talks on Syria have been postponed until February 20 to allow a ceasefire to take hold and to give the opposition time to present a united front, the UN envoy said Tuesday. The talks in Geneva had been scheduled to begin on February 8 but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week announced they would be delayed, without providing reasons. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura told a closed meeting of the Security Council that the postponement would help bolster preparations for the talks aimed at ending the nearly six-year war. "We want to give a chance both to the government to become seriously engaged in discussions and the opposition (...) to actually be able to be given a chance to come with one unified opposition," De Mistura told reporters after the meeting. Russia, Iran and Turkey last week led talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana on shoring up a ceasefire in Syria, where more than 310,000 people have died. "If the ceasefire becomes as solid as we hope that will only help the Syria talks," said the envoy. The Syrian opposition has been divided over representation to the talks. De Mistura warned that if the opposition failed to agree on the composition of the delegation by February 8, he will select the representatives from the various groups who will come to the peace table. "If by the 8th of February, the opposition will not be ready to come up with a unified group, I will have to ....actually select the delegation in order to make sure that it can be as inclusive as possible," he said.The council heard a report from De Mistura amid concerns that the Astana discussions could open up a new track of negotiations. During the Astana talks, Russia, Syria`s main ally, presented opposition rebels with a draft constitution that was immediately rejected by the groups. The unilateral move by Russia raised concern in Western capitals. "We have been concerned that the Geneva talks have been delayed and we would be concerned if there were any watering down of the basis of those talks," British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters. "It`s very important that there is confirmation that the UN will lead the next round of talks," said Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog, this month`s council president. "The UN has to be front and center in the political process," said French Ambassador Francois Delattre. He cited the need to respect the Geneva communique agreed with Russia that calls for a transition in Syria. "We start with a transition, then the constitution, and then the elections," said Delattre. "I think if we can all stay on this line, then we can move." Previous UN-led talks have broken down over disagreements on ensuring a transition in Damascus that would lead to President Bashar al-Assad`s exit from power. Western powers have for weeks questioned the purpose of the Astana talks and raised concern that they could sideline the Geneva talks. Turkey, which backs rebel forces, has for the first time conceded that a peace deal that excludes Assad from power might not be possible. The new date was announced after US Ambassador Nikki Haley meet with De Mistura on Monday to discuss the way forward in Syria. (AFP)

Syria peace initiative: UN-backed talks postponed till February 20

In a strong message, the new US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, today said her country will show its &quot;strength&quot; at the world body and act accordingly against opponents.

&quot;We will have the backs of our allies...And those who do not have our back, we&#39;re taking names,&quot; Haley, who arrived here to present her credentials to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said in her brief remarks to the press.

South Carolina&#39;s Indian-American former Governor, Haley said it will not be business as usual and &quot;US will show its strength&quot; and voice at the UN.

Haley, accompanied by other senior officials, presented her credentials to Guterres on the first day she took charge as Washington&#39;s envoy to the United Nations.

Haley, 45, was sworn-in as America&#39;s Ambassador to the United Nations on Wednesday, scripting history to become the first from the influential Indian-American community to serve on a Cabinet rank position in any US presidential administration.

Haley, a rising Republican star, was approved overwhelmingly by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday with wide bipartisan support, 96-4, to replace Samantha Power.

Once a fierce critic of Trump, Haley in November was selected as the first woman and first minority to serve in the Trump Administration.

She is the daughter of Indian immigrants from Punjab.

(PTI) 
&nbsp;

'We will have the backs of our allies...And those who do not have our back, we're taking names,' Haley said

In a strong message, the new US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, today said her country will show its "strength" at the world body and act accordingly against opponents. "We will have the backs of our allies...And those who do not have our back, we're taking names," Haley, who arrived here to present her credentials to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said in her brief remarks to the press. South Carolina's Indian-American former Governor, Haley said it will not be business as usual and "US will show its strength" and voice at the UN. Haley, accompanied by other senior officials, presented her credentials to Guterres on the first day she took charge as Washington's envoy to the United Nations. Haley, 45, was sworn-in as America's Ambassador to the United Nations on Wednesday, scripting history to become the first from the influential Indian-American community to serve on a Cabinet rank position in any US presidential administration. Haley, a rising Republican star, was approved overwhelmingly by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday with wide bipartisan support, 96-4, to replace Samantha Power. Once a fierce critic of Trump, Haley in November was selected as the first woman and first minority to serve in the Trump Administration. She is the daughter of Indian immigrants from Punjab. (PTI)

'US will show its strength at the UN', warns newly-appointed envoy Nikki Haley

The UN Security Council on Friday expressed support for peace talks on Syria hosted by Russia, Turkey and Iran next week, but stressed they must not serve to sideline UN-led negotiations.

During a closed-door meeting, the council discussed the talks opening Monday in the Kazakh capital of Astana after the United Nations decided to send envoy Staffan de Mistura to the meeting.

Sweden&#39;s ambassador and council president Olof Skoog said the Astana talks could help shore up a ceasefire and &quot;represent an important stepping stone coming back to UN-led talks in Geneva thereafter&quot;.

Western powers have for weeks questioned the purpose of the Astana talks and raised concern that they could open up a new track of negotiations to end the nearly six-year war in Syria.

&quot;That concern may have been there,&quot; Skoog said about sidelining the UN-led process, but he added that the council was united in its position that the Kazakh talks must be in sync with the UN-led negotiations.

The United Nations is working to bring the Syrian government and the rebels to the table in Geneva on February 8.

The UN-led talks have broken down over disagreements on ensuring a transition in Damascus that would lead to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s exit from power.

Turkey, which backs rebel forces, for the first time conceded that a peace deal that excludes Assad from power might not be possible.&nbsp;

&quot;Turkey can no longer insist on a settlement without Assad. It is not realistic,&quot; Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek told a panel on Syria at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Assad told Japanese television that he hoped the rebels attending the Astana talks will agree to lay down their arms in exchange for an amnesty deal.

Turkey and Russia, which supports Assad, brokered a ceasefire on December 30, but clashes have continued while deliveries of humanitarian aid remain blocked.

The war in Syria has killed more than 310,000 people and forced millions to flee their homes.

(AFP)

The UN, while supporting Astana talks, said that any efforts made to resolve the long-drawn conflict should not sideline the world body

The UN Security Council on Friday expressed support for peace talks on Syria hosted by Russia, Turkey and Iran next week, but stressed they must not serve to sideline UN-led negotiations. During a closed-door meeting, the council discussed the talks opening Monday in the Kazakh capital of Astana after the United Nations decided to send envoy Staffan de Mistura to the meeting. Sweden's ambassador and council president Olof Skoog said the Astana talks could help shore up a ceasefire and "represent an important stepping stone coming back to UN-led talks in Geneva thereafter". Western powers have for weeks questioned the purpose of the Astana talks and raised concern that they could open up a new track of negotiations to end the nearly six-year war in Syria. "That concern may have been there," Skoog said about sidelining the UN-led process, but he added that the council was united in its position that the Kazakh talks must be in sync with the UN-led negotiations. The United Nations is working to bring the Syrian government and the rebels to the table in Geneva on February 8. The UN-led talks have broken down over disagreements on ensuring a transition in Damascus that would lead to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s exit from power. Turkey, which backs rebel forces, for the first time conceded that a peace deal that excludes Assad from power might not be possible. "Turkey can no longer insist on a settlement without Assad. It is not realistic," Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek told a panel on Syria at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Assad told Japanese television that he hoped the rebels attending the Astana talks will agree to lay down their arms in exchange for an amnesty deal. Turkey and Russia, which supports Assad, brokered a ceasefire on December 30, but clashes have continued while deliveries of humanitarian aid remain blocked. The war in Syria has killed more than 310,000 people and forced millions to flee their homes. (AFP)

Syria peace initiative: UN deputes envoy to attend Astana talks

After some delays, Colombia&#39;s FARC rebels could begin disarming in the coming weeks and the laying down of weapons under the historic peace deal could be completed by early June, a UN envoy has said.

Some 5,700 fighters from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are to lay down their weapons under the agreement signed in November to end more than five decades of conflict in the South American country.

Jean Arnault yesterday told the Security Council that the main focus of the peace effort now was setting up 26 UN-monitored camps where the rebels will gather to hand over their weapons.

Once the camps are set up, this &quot;will hopefully allow the arms laydown process to begin in the next few weeks,&quot; said Arnault, the head of the UN political mission in Colombia.

Colombia&#39;s government and the rebel leadership are determined &quot;to do everything possible to meet the original goal of the comprehensive laydown of weapons by early June,&quot; he added.

An amnesty law passed in late December cleared one of the hurdles in the way of disarmament, but Arnault cited logistical problems linked to the large number and remote locations of the camps among other issues.

About 350 of the 450 monitors serving in a UN peace mission have been deployed to oversee the laying down of weapons.

Construction has begun on one-third of the camps while preparations are ongoing in another third, but the remainder face difficulties, said Arnault.

&quot;We do share the perception that an overly protracted process and a loss of momentum would not be in anybody&#39;s interest,&quot; the envoy said.

The UN mission was embroiled in controversy earlier this month when Colombian media broadcast videos of UN monitors dancing with FARC fighters at a New Year&#39;s Eve party at a camp.

Four monitors were repatriated to their home countries over the incident.

Swedish ambassador Olof Skoog, who holds the council presidency this month, said following closed-door talks on Colombia that &quot;everyone has welcomed the swift action taken by the leadership to rectify the situation.&quot;

(AFP)

Jean Arnault said the main focus now was setting up 26 UN-monitored camps, where the rebels will gather to hand over their weapons

After some delays, Colombia's FARC rebels could begin disarming in the coming weeks and the laying down of weapons under the historic peace deal could be completed by early June, a UN envoy has said. Some 5,700 fighters from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are to lay down their weapons under the agreement signed in November to end more than five decades of conflict in the South American country. Jean Arnault yesterday told the Security Council that the main focus of the peace effort now was setting up 26 UN-monitored camps where the rebels will gather to hand over their weapons. Once the camps are set up, this "will hopefully allow the arms laydown process to begin in the next few weeks," said Arnault, the head of the UN political mission in Colombia. Colombia's government and the rebel leadership are determined "to do everything possible to meet the original goal of the comprehensive laydown of weapons by early June," he added. An amnesty law passed in late December cleared one of the hurdles in the way of disarmament, but Arnault cited logistical problems linked to the large number and remote locations of the camps among other issues. About 350 of the 450 monitors serving in a UN peace mission have been deployed to oversee the laying down of weapons. Construction has begun on one-third of the camps while preparations are ongoing in another third, but the remainder face difficulties, said Arnault. "We do share the perception that an overly protracted process and a loss of momentum would not be in anybody's interest," the envoy said. The UN mission was embroiled in controversy earlier this month when Colombian media broadcast videos of UN monitors dancing with FARC fighters at a New Year's Eve party at a camp. Four monitors were repatriated to their home countries over the incident. Swedish ambassador Olof Skoog, who holds the council presidency this month, said following closed-door talks on Colombia that "everyone has welcomed the swift action taken by the leadership to rectify the situation." (AFP)

Colombia rebels could begin disarming in coming weeks: UN envoy

Newly appointed United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke with US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, and the two had &quot;a very positive discussion on US-UN relations,&quot; said a UN spokesman, a week after Trump slammed the world body on Twitter.

Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister and UN refugee chief who began his five-year term on Sunday, spoke by phone with Trump, who will take office on January 20, said UN spokesman Farhan Haq.&nbsp;

&quot;This was an introductory phone call during which they had a very positive discussion on US-UN relations. The secretary-general said that he looked forward to engaging with the president after his inauguration,&quot; Haq told reporters.

Trump took to Twitter to disparage the 193-member world body after the United States abstained in a December 23 UN Security Council vote, allowing the adoption of a resolution demanding an end to settlement building by US ally Israel.

Trump, who had called on the outgoing Obama administration to veto the resolution, warned that &quot;things will be different&quot; at the United Nations after he takes office, without offering any details.&nbsp;

He followed up with another tweet on December 26: &quot;The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!&quot;

Guterres responded in an interview with Snapchat on Tuesday: &quot;President-elect Trump also said the UN has an enormous potential. That`s exactly what I feel. My job is to make sure that potential becomes a reality.&quot;

In an address to UN staff in New York on Tuesday, Guterres acknowledged that in some parts of the world there was a resistance and scepticism about the role of the United Nations.

Trump spokesman Sean Spicer said on Wednesday that the president-elect would work with Rex Tillerson, his secretary of state nominee, and Nikki Haley, his choice for US ambassador to the United Nations, to &quot;demand some reform and change.&quot; Both Tillerson and Haley must be confirmed by the US Senate before taking office.

The United States is the largest contributor to the United Nations, paying 22 percent of the $5.4 billion core UN&nbsp;budget and 28 percent of the $7.9 billion UN peacekeeping budget. Following passage of the UN resolution on Israeli settlements, a top US senator threatened to work to cut US funding.

&quot;This gives Guterres a reason for going big on reform quickly,&quot; said a senior UN&nbsp;diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. &quot;He needs to make sure he is reforming the UN&nbsp;fast enough and radically enough in order to engage the incoming US administration.&quot;

(Reuters)

The United States is the largest contributor to the United Nations, paying 22 percent of the $5.4 billion core UN budget

Newly appointed United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke with US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, and the two had "a very positive discussion on US-UN relations," said a UN spokesman, a week after Trump slammed the world body on Twitter. Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister and UN refugee chief who began his five-year term on Sunday, spoke by phone with Trump, who will take office on January 20, said UN spokesman Farhan Haq. "This was an introductory phone call during which they had a very positive discussion on US-UN relations. The secretary-general said that he looked forward to engaging with the president after his inauguration," Haq told reporters. Trump took to Twitter to disparage the 193-member world body after the United States abstained in a December 23 UN Security Council vote, allowing the adoption of a resolution demanding an end to settlement building by US ally Israel. Trump, who had called on the outgoing Obama administration to veto the resolution, warned that "things will be different" at the United Nations after he takes office, without offering any details. He followed up with another tweet on December 26: "The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!" Guterres responded in an interview with Snapchat on Tuesday: "President-elect Trump also said the UN has an enormous potential. That`s exactly what I feel. My job is to make sure that potential becomes a reality." In an address to UN staff in New York on Tuesday, Guterres acknowledged that in some parts of the world there was a resistance and scepticism about the role of the United Nations. Trump spokesman Sean Spicer said on Wednesday that the president-elect would work with Rex Tillerson, his secretary of state nominee, and Nikki Haley, his choice for US ambassador to the United Nations, to "demand some reform and change." Both Tillerson and Haley must be confirmed by the US Senate before taking office. The United States is the largest contributor to the United Nations, paying 22 percent of the $5.4 billion core UN budget and 28 percent of the $7.9 billion UN peacekeeping budget. Following passage of the UN resolution on Israeli settlements, a top US senator threatened to work to cut US funding. "This gives Guterres a reason for going big on reform quickly," said a senior UN diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "He needs to make sure he is reforming the UN fast enough and radically enough in order to engage the incoming US administration." (Reuters)

UN chief Guterres speaks with US President-elect Trump

A ceasefire held across most of Syria on Saturday as Russia and Turkey secured unanimous passage of a UN resolution backing their efforts to &quot;jumpstart&quot; talks aimed at ending the nearly six-year conflict.

The Security Council resolution aims to pave the way for talks next month in Kazakhstan&#39;s capital Astana, under the aegis of Russia and Iran, both Syrian government supporters,&nbsp;and of rebel backer Turkey.

Turkey and Russia say the talks will supplement, not replace, UN-backed peace efforts, including negotiations set to resume February 8 in Geneva.

The text of the UN measure &quot;welcomes and supports the efforts by Russia and Turkey to end violence in Syria and jumpstart a political process&quot;. It hails the Astana talks as &quot;an important step&quot;.

The measure also calls for the &quot;rapid, safe and unhindered&quot; delivery of humanitarian aid in Syria.

Russia and Turkey brokered the current ceasefire and, while backing opposing forces in the conflict, have been working increasingly closely on Syria, including to allow evacuations from the besieged city of Aleppo.

The Syrian conflict has occasionally spilled over into neighbouring Turkey, with several attacks blamed on Islamic State jihadists or Kurdish militants.

In the latest bloodshed, at least 35 people were killed and 40 wounded when gunmen reportedly dressed as Santa stormed an Istanbul nightclub where partygoers were celebrating the New Year.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Turkey has launched an incursion into Syria to oust IS and Kurdish militants from the border area.

Washington has been conspicuously absent from the new process to end the Syrian conflict but has called the truce &quot;positive.&quot; Moscow has said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s administration on board once he takes office in January.

Russia&#39;s UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin had earlier voiced hope the Security Council would endorse the planned talks in Kazakhstan and back the resolution unanimously.

But several council members had demanded clarifications over the reach of the resolution, what it would mean for the UN talks, how it might affect rebels recently ousted from Aleppo, and what it would mean for humanitarian aid.

The French foreign ministry expressed hope the ceasefire would be &quot;fully respected,&quot; calling for a prompt resumption of political negotiations brokered by the UN.

&quot;The unanimous adoption of Resolution 2336 demonstrates how important implementing a ceasefire in Syria truly is for the international community,&quot; the statement added.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the war, said most of Syria remained calm, despite limited clashes.

Two children were killed in the evening by regime artillery fire targeting rebel territory near Aleppo, the observatory said. 
Separately, in the coastal town of Tartus two suicide bombers who were trying to join New Year festivities blew themselves up at a security roadblock, killing two members of the regime forces, it said.

The government in Damascus called the ceasefire a &quot;real opportunity&quot; to find a political solution to a war that has claimed more than 310,000 lives and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Clashes were reported around Wadi Barada near Damascus, and the southern city of Daraa, where one opposition fighter was killed.

The fighting in Wadi Barada has led to water shortages that have affected four million people in the capital.

Five rebel fighters and two civilians have been killed in Wadi Barada and the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus since the truce started on Friday, said Syrian Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

The Observatory said a total of 60,000 people were killed in violence across Syria in 2016, more than 13,000 of them civilians.

The forces in Wadi Barada include Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front. That group and the Islamic State group are excluded from the truce.Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem held talks in key ally Iran with President Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani.

Rouhani said &quot;vigilance&quot; was needed to ensure the rebels did not reorganise.

The official IRNA news agency also quoted Shamkhani as warning that any political solution to the Syrian conflict must not lead to &quot;the weakening&quot; of the Damascus government.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would reduce Moscow&#39;s military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year.

But he added Russia would continue to fight &quot;terrorism&quot; and maintain its support for Assad&#39;s government.

(AFP)

Turkey and Russia say the talks will supplement, not replace, UN-backed peace efforts

A ceasefire held across most of Syria on Saturday as Russia and Turkey secured unanimous passage of a UN resolution backing their efforts to "jumpstart" talks aimed at ending the nearly six-year conflict. The Security Council resolution aims to pave the way for talks next month in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, under the aegis of Russia and Iran, both Syrian government supporters, and of rebel backer Turkey. Turkey and Russia say the talks will supplement, not replace, UN-backed peace efforts, including negotiations set to resume February 8 in Geneva. The text of the UN measure "welcomes and supports the efforts by Russia and Turkey to end violence in Syria and jumpstart a political process". It hails the Astana talks as "an important step". The measure also calls for the "rapid, safe and unhindered" delivery of humanitarian aid in Syria. Russia and Turkey brokered the current ceasefire and, while backing opposing forces in the conflict, have been working increasingly closely on Syria, including to allow evacuations from the besieged city of Aleppo. The Syrian conflict has occasionally spilled over into neighbouring Turkey, with several attacks blamed on Islamic State jihadists or Kurdish militants. In the latest bloodshed, at least 35 people were killed and 40 wounded when gunmen reportedly dressed as Santa stormed an Istanbul nightclub where partygoers were celebrating the New Year. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. Turkey has launched an incursion into Syria to oust IS and Kurdish militants from the border area. Washington has been conspicuously absent from the new process to end the Syrian conflict but has called the truce "positive." Moscow has said it hoped to bring US President-elect Donald Trump's administration on board once he takes office in January. Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin had earlier voiced hope the Security Council would endorse the planned talks in Kazakhstan and back the resolution unanimously. But several council members had demanded clarifications over the reach of the resolution, what it would mean for the UN talks, how it might affect rebels recently ousted from Aleppo, and what it would mean for humanitarian aid. The French foreign ministry expressed hope the ceasefire would be "fully respected," calling for a prompt resumption of political negotiations brokered by the UN. "The unanimous adoption of Resolution 2336 demonstrates how important implementing a ceasefire in Syria truly is for the international community," the statement added.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the war, said most of Syria remained calm, despite limited clashes. Two children were killed in the evening by regime artillery fire targeting rebel territory near Aleppo, the observatory said. Separately, in the coastal town of Tartus two suicide bombers who were trying to join New Year festivities blew themselves up at a security roadblock, killing two members of the regime forces, it said. The government in Damascus called the ceasefire a "real opportunity" to find a political solution to a war that has claimed more than 310,000 lives and displaced millions since it began in March 2011 with protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Clashes were reported around Wadi Barada near Damascus, and the southern city of Daraa, where one opposition fighter was killed. The fighting in Wadi Barada has led to water shortages that have affected four million people in the capital. Five rebel fighters and two civilians have been killed in Wadi Barada and the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus since the truce started on Friday, said Syrian Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. The Observatory said a total of 60,000 people were killed in violence across Syria in 2016, more than 13,000 of them civilians. The forces in Wadi Barada include Fateh al-Sham Front, previously known as Al-Nusra Front. That group and the Islamic State group are excluded from the truce.Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem held talks in key ally Iran with President Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani. Rouhani said "vigilance" was needed to ensure the rebels did not reorganise. The official IRNA news agency also quoted Shamkhani as warning that any political solution to the Syrian conflict must not lead to "the weakening" of the Damascus government. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would reduce Moscow's military contingent in Syria, which has been fighting to bolster the government since last year. But he added Russia would continue to fight "terrorism" and maintain its support for Assad's government. (AFP)

UN backs Russia on Syria truce, Kazakhstan talks

A day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filled a charge sheet against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar in the Pathankot attack, India took on Pakistan at the United Nations and called on the hostile neighbour to leave behind its ways of terrorism, with the warning saying that, &quot;what you sow will bear fruit&quot;.

Speaking at the United Nations Security Council, India&#39;s permanent envoy to the UN&nbsp;Syed Akbaruddin in a veiled attack on Pakistan, said that safe havens being provided to terrorists must be dealt with in order to bring sustainable peace.

&quot;We need to address, as an imperative, the support that terrorist organisations like the Taliban, Haqqani Network, Daesh, Al- Qaeda and its designated affiliates such as Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed which operate entirely outside the fabric of international law draw from their shadowy supporters outside Afghanistan,&quot; he said.

Quoting poet Rumi, Akbaruddin said &quot;what you sow will bear fruit. If you&#39;ve any sense my friend, don&#39;t plant anything but peace,&quot; which seemed to be a clear message to Islamabad to refrain from stooping to terrorism.

The NIA on Monday filed a chargesheet in the NIA special court against senior commanders of Jaish-e-Mohammed including its Chief Maulana Masood Azhar, for their involvement in the terrorist attack at Pathankot Airbase on 2nd January, 2016.

(ANI)

India's UN envoy, in a veiled attack on Pakistan, said sustainable peace depends on not giving terrorists safe haven

A day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filled a charge sheet against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar in the Pathankot attack, India took on Pakistan at the United Nations and called on the hostile neighbour to leave behind its ways of terrorism, with the warning saying that, "what you sow will bear fruit". Speaking at the United Nations Security Council, India's permanent envoy to the UN Syed Akbaruddin in a veiled attack on Pakistan, said that safe havens being provided to terrorists must be dealt with in order to bring sustainable peace. "We need to address, as an imperative, the support that terrorist organisations like the Taliban, Haqqani Network, Daesh, Al- Qaeda and its designated affiliates such as Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed which operate entirely outside the fabric of international law draw from their shadowy supporters outside Afghanistan," he said. Quoting poet Rumi, Akbaruddin said "what you sow will bear fruit. If you've any sense my friend, don't plant anything but peace," which seemed to be a clear message to Islamabad to refrain from stooping to terrorism. The NIA on Monday filed a chargesheet in the NIA special court against senior commanders of Jaish-e-Mohammed including its Chief Maulana Masood Azhar, for their involvement in the terrorist attack at Pathankot Airbase on 2nd January, 2016. (ANI)

India targets Pakistan on terror at UN: 'What you sow will bear fruit'

Nearly 50 children who were trapped in an orphanage in the rebel-held Syrian enclave of east Aleppo were evacuated on Monday, some critically injured or dehydrated, the United Nations Children&#39;s Fund (UNICEF) said.

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) evacuated the orphans from eastern Aleppo, along with facility staff who have been caring for them, ICRC spokeswoman Krista Armstrong said.

&quot;They were given priority and were the first to be evacuated by bus when the operation resumed,&quot; Armstrong said, adding that she could not provide an exact figure yet.

Earlier, Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF regional director, said in a statement that all 47 children trapped in the orphanage were evacuated to safety, &quot;with some in critical condition from injuries and dehydration&quot;.

UNICEF and other agencies were also assisting in reunifying other children evacuated in the past few days with their families and giving them medical care and winter clothes, he said.

(Reuters)

'They were given priority and were the first to be evacuated by bus when the operation resumed,' said an ICRC spokeswoman

Nearly 50 children who were trapped in an orphanage in the rebel-held Syrian enclave of east Aleppo were evacuated on Monday, some critically injured or dehydrated, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) evacuated the orphans from eastern Aleppo, along with facility staff who have been caring for them, ICRC spokeswoman Krista Armstrong said. "They were given priority and were the first to be evacuated by bus when the operation resumed," Armstrong said, adding that she could not provide an exact figure yet. Earlier, Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF regional director, said in a statement that all 47 children trapped in the orphanage were evacuated to safety, "with some in critical condition from injuries and dehydration". UNICEF and other agencies were also assisting in reunifying other children evacuated in the past few days with their families and giving them medical care and winter clothes, he said. (Reuters)

47 children evacuated from Aleppo orphanage, some in critical shape: UN

The United Nations is getting daily reports of rapes and killings of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, although the government was insultingly dismissing the claims and making the situation worse, the UN human rights office said on Friday.

Zeid said in a statement that the government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, had taken a &quot;short-sighted, counterproductive, even callous&quot; approach to the crisis, which could have grave long-term repercussions for the region.&nbsp;

At least 86 people have been killed, according to state media, and the United Nations has estimated 27,000 members of the largely stateless Rohingya minority have fled across the border to Bangladesh.

(Reuters)

The government has taken a 'short-sighted, counterproductive, even callous' approach to the crisis, said Human Rights office

The United Nations is getting daily reports of rapes and killings of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, although the government was insultingly dismissing the claims and making the situation worse, the UN human rights office said on Friday. Zeid said in a statement that the government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, had taken a "short-sighted, counterproductive, even callous" approach to the crisis, which could have grave long-term repercussions for the region. At least 86 people have been killed, according to state media, and the United Nations has estimated 27,000 members of the largely stateless Rohingya minority have fled across the border to Bangladesh. (Reuters)

UN says it gets daily reports of killings and rapes of Rohingyas in Myanmar

Equating atrocities in Balochistan to the massacre of Bengalis by Pakistan Army during the 1971 liberation war, a self-exiled Baloch leader has sought Bangladesh&#39;s support to raise the issue at the UN and help liberate the restive region from &quot;Pakistan&#39;s occupation&quot;.

&quot;They (Pakistan) are committing the same atrocities that they had committed with you,&quot; Mir Suleman Dawood Jan Ahmedzai said here yesterday, referring to Bangladesh&#39;s independence struggle during which 3 million Bengalis were killed.

&quot;The family of the present prime minister (Sheikh Hasina) went through the same crisis and even worse,&quot; he said, referring to Bangladesh&#39;s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who led the independence movement.

He said &#39;Pakistan occupied his country&#39; in March 1948 and since then has been carrying out atrocities to suppress public uprisings.

Ahmedzai said Balochs are expecting &quot;cooperation and diplomatic understanding of the situation they are going through&quot; from Bangladesh so that Dhaka can take it up to the UN.

&quot;We, Balochistan, cannot speak in the UN as we are not a member. We want members to speak for us,&quot; bdnews24.Com quoted him as saying.

In Balochistan, they are committing atrocities on a daily basis, he said, adding that Pakistan has adopted ?kill and dump? policy in Balochistan.

&quot;More than 25,000 people are missing and over a million displaced. First, people go missing and then they are found in the wilderness....Tortured, bullet-ridden bodies.&quot;

&quot;Our only plan is to regain independence for Balochistan. We are optimistic,&quot; he said.

He accused Pakistan of &quot;spreading terrorism from Manila to California with its army intelligence&quot;.

&quot;Only difference between normal terrorists and Pakistani army is that they are wearing uniforms while the others are not. Both are terrorists. One has a shield of the government and the other one is a non-state actor,&quot; he said.

&quot;Going to the background as to who they back or finance, you will trace them in every terrorist link from Manila to California&quot;.

Ahmedzai has been staying in Britain since 2007 to gather international support for their cause of an independent Balochistan.

He was in Dhaka to take part in a seminar organised by the Centre for Genocide Studies at the Dhaka University.

The Balochistan issue returned to the spotlight in the region after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech in August pointed at human rights violations in the province.

(PTI)

'They (Pakistan) are committing the same atrocities that they had committed with you (Bangladesh)', Mir Suleman Dawood Jan Ahmedzai said

Equating atrocities in Balochistan to the massacre of Bengalis by Pakistan Army during the 1971 liberation war, a self-exiled Baloch leader has sought Bangladesh's support to raise the issue at the UN and help liberate the restive region from "Pakistan's occupation". "They (Pakistan) are committing the same atrocities that they had committed with you," Mir Suleman Dawood Jan Ahmedzai said here yesterday, referring to Bangladesh's independence struggle during which 3 million Bengalis were killed. "The family of the present prime minister (Sheikh Hasina) went through the same crisis and even worse," he said, referring to Bangladesh's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who led the independence movement. He said 'Pakistan occupied his country' in March 1948 and since then has been carrying out atrocities to suppress public uprisings. Ahmedzai said Balochs are expecting "cooperation and diplomatic understanding of the situation they are going through" from Bangladesh so that Dhaka can take it up to the UN. "We, Balochistan, cannot speak in the UN as we are not a member. We want members to speak for us," bdnews24.Com quoted him as saying. In Balochistan, they are committing atrocities on a daily basis, he said, adding that Pakistan has adopted ?kill and dump? policy in Balochistan. "More than 25,000 people are missing and over a million displaced. First, people go missing and then they are found in the wilderness....Tortured, bullet-ridden bodies." "Our only plan is to regain independence for Balochistan. We are optimistic," he said. He accused Pakistan of "spreading terrorism from Manila to California with its army intelligence". "Only difference between normal terrorists and Pakistani army is that they are wearing uniforms while the others are not. Both are terrorists. One has a shield of the government and the other one is a non-state actor," he said. "Going to the background as to who they back or finance, you will trace them in every terrorist link from Manila to California". Ahmedzai has been staying in Britain since 2007 to gather international support for their cause of an independent Balochistan. He was in Dhaka to take part in a seminar organised by the Centre for Genocide Studies at the Dhaka University. The Balochistan issue returned to the spotlight in the region after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech in August pointed at human rights violations in the province. (PTI)

Baloch leader seeks Bangladesh's help to raise Balochistan issue

Syrian warplanes again pounded Aleppo&#39;s last rebel-held districts today, as the United States said American and Russian officials would meet in a bid to save the city from &quot;complete&quot; destruction.

With the fighting resuming after a brief respite, the UN General Assembly demanded an immediate ceasefire and urgent aid deliveries, in a resolution adopted by a strong majority.

US officials will meet tomorrow with their Russian counterparts in Geneva to try to stop Aleppo &quot;being absolutely, completely destroyed&quot;, US Secretary of State John Kerry said.

He was in Paris for a meeting of foreign ministers from the Western and Arab backers of Syria&#39;s weakened opposition, also tomorrow.

Kerry was not upbeat about the chances of success, however, as key regime ally Russia vowed that the assault would not end until rebels leave Aleppo.

&quot;I know people are tired of these meetings, I&#39;m tired of these meetings,&quot; Kerry said.

&quot;But what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend... While people are dying? Sit there in Washington and do nothing?&quot;

Government strikes had halted briefly from yesterday night, when Moscow announced a pause in the regime offensive to allow the evacuation of civilians, although shelling did not cease.

Syria&#39;s army is three weeks into a battle to retake east Aleppo from rebels who are now confined to just a few neighbourhoods in their former bastion.

The city&#39;s loss would be the biggest blow for the rebels in Syria&#39;s nearly six-year-old war, which has killed more than 300,000 people and displaced over half the country&#39;s population.

Tens of thousands of civilians have fled east Aleppo in recent weeks, although the United Nations said today it had received reports that rebels had blocked some from leaving.

It also expressed concern about reports that hundreds of men had gone missing after fleeing to government-held territory.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, reported at least a dozen air strikes on rebel-held neighbourhoods today afternoon.

Artillery fire had continued throughout yesterday night and into today after Moscow&#39;s announcement, the monitor and an AFP correspondent in east Aleppo reported.

Syria&#39;s army has captured around 85 percent of east Aleppo, with rebels and remaining civilians confined to a shrinking space in increasingly grim conditions.

East Aleppo has been encircled by the regime since mid-July, with international aid provisions exhausted and remaining food supplies dwindling even before the government assault began in mid-November.

The AFP correspondent said fleeing civilians had seen bodies in the streets of one neighbourhood because the intensity of the bombardment made it too dangerous to retrieve the dead.

(AFP)

The UN General Assembly demanded an immediate ceasefire and urgent aid deliveries, in a resolution adopted by a strong majority

Syrian warplanes again pounded Aleppo's last rebel-held districts today, as the United States said American and Russian officials would meet in a bid to save the city from "complete" destruction. With the fighting resuming after a brief respite, the UN General Assembly demanded an immediate ceasefire and urgent aid deliveries, in a resolution adopted by a strong majority. US officials will meet tomorrow with their Russian counterparts in Geneva to try to stop Aleppo "being absolutely, completely destroyed", US Secretary of State John Kerry said. He was in Paris for a meeting of foreign ministers from the Western and Arab backers of Syria's weakened opposition, also tomorrow. Kerry was not upbeat about the chances of success, however, as key regime ally Russia vowed that the assault would not end until rebels leave Aleppo. "I know people are tired of these meetings, I'm tired of these meetings," Kerry said. "But what am I supposed to do? Go home and have a nice weekend... While people are dying? Sit there in Washington and do nothing?" Government strikes had halted briefly from yesterday night, when Moscow announced a pause in the regime offensive to allow the evacuation of civilians, although shelling did not cease. Syria's army is three weeks into a battle to retake east Aleppo from rebels who are now confined to just a few neighbourhoods in their former bastion. The city's loss would be the biggest blow for the rebels in Syria's nearly six-year-old war, which has killed more than 300,000 people and displaced over half the country's population. Tens of thousands of civilians have fled east Aleppo in recent weeks, although the United Nations said today it had received reports that rebels had blocked some from leaving. It also expressed concern about reports that hundreds of men had gone missing after fleeing to government-held territory. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, reported at least a dozen air strikes on rebel-held neighbourhoods today afternoon. Artillery fire had continued throughout yesterday night and into today after Moscow's announcement, the monitor and an AFP correspondent in east Aleppo reported. Syria's army has captured around 85 percent of east Aleppo, with rebels and remaining civilians confined to a shrinking space in increasingly grim conditions. East Aleppo has been encircled by the regime since mid-July, with international aid provisions exhausted and remaining food supplies dwindling even before the government assault began in mid-November. The AFP correspondent said fleeing civilians had seen bodies in the streets of one neighbourhood because the intensity of the bombardment made it too dangerous to retrieve the dead. (AFP)

US, Russia to meet as Syrian army pounds Aleppo rebels

The United Nations has urged Myanmar&#39;s leader Aung San Suu Kyi to visit the country&#39;s northern state of Rakhine and reassure the civilian population of their protection amid accusations against the army of a brutal military crackdown on Rohingya minority.

UN special adviser on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar appealed to the Nobel prize winner to intercede, in a statement released on Thursday.

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&quot;The adoption of a generally defensive rather than proactive approach to providing security to the local population, have caused frustration locally and disappointment internationally,&quot; he said, news agency AFP reported.

&quot;I also appeal to Daw Suu to visit Maungdaw and Buthidaung and reassure the civilian population there that they will be protected,&quot; he added, referring to the locked down area in Rakhine.&nbsp;

Malaysia has accused the military of &quot;genocide&quot;. The army has reportedly pushed more than 20,000 Rohingya over the border to Bangladesh and is accused of mass rape, murder and arson. Myanmar officials have denied the charges.

Suu Kyi, who has faced growing criticism for not stopping the military&#39;s campaign, said that the situation was &quot;under control&quot;. She further asked the international community to stop aggravating the &quot;fires of resentment&quot;.

&quot;What&#39;s the use of Aung San Suu Kyi having a Nobel prize?&quot; Malaysia&#39;s Prime Minister Najib Razak asked some 5,000 protesters in Kuala Lumpur. &quot;The world cannot sit and watch genocide taking place.&quot;

The bloodshed in the country poses the biggest challenge to Suu Kyi&#39;s party. Protesters have expressed outrage against the latest crackdown on Rohingyas who have suffered years of abuse and discrimination.

Activists say Buddhist-majority Myanmar&#39;s stateless Muslim Rohingya minority are among the most persecuted in the world.&nbsp;

More than 120,000 have been trapped in squalid displacement camps since the last major outbreak of violence erupted in Rakhine in 2012, AFP said.

(With inputs from AFP)

The army is accused of carrying out a brutal crackdown on Rakhine's Muslim Rohingya minority

The United Nations has urged Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi to visit the country's northern state of Rakhine and reassure the civilian population of their protection amid accusations against the army of a brutal military crackdown on Rohingya minority. UN special adviser on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar appealed to the Nobel prize winner to intercede, in a statement released on Thursday. Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize winner, has described the situation as 'under control' and asked the international community to stop stoking the 'fires of resentment' × "The adoption of a generally defensive rather than proactive approach to providing security to the local population, have caused frustration locally and disappointment internationally," he said, news agency AFP reported. "I also appeal to Daw Suu to visit Maungdaw and Buthidaung and reassure the civilian population there that they will be protected," he added, referring to the locked down area in Rakhine. Malaysia has accused the military of "genocide". The army has reportedly pushed more than 20,000 Rohingya over the border to Bangladesh and is accused of mass rape, murder and arson. Myanmar officials have denied the charges. Suu Kyi, who has faced growing criticism for not stopping the military's campaign, said that the situation was "under control". She further asked the international community to stop aggravating the "fires of resentment". "What's the use of Aung San Suu Kyi having a Nobel prize?" Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak asked some 5,000 protesters in Kuala Lumpur. "The world cannot sit and watch genocide taking place." The bloodshed in the country poses the biggest challenge to Suu Kyi's party. Protesters have expressed outrage against the latest crackdown on Rohingyas who have suffered years of abuse and discrimination. Activists say Buddhist-majority Myanmar's stateless Muslim Rohingya minority are among the most persecuted in the world. More than 120,000 have been trapped in squalid displacement camps since the last major outbreak of violence erupted in Rakhine in 2012, AFP said. (With inputs from AFP)

UN calls on Myanmar's Suu Kyi to visit crisis-hit Rakhine

Japan will impose additional sanctions on North Korea following the country&#39;s fifth nuclear test in September and consider further measures depending on Pyongyang&#39;s moves, chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Friday.

Japan will expand a list of people prohibited from re-entering Japan after visiting North Korea, while also banning all ships that have called at ports in North Korea, Suga told a news conference.

Tokyo will also freeze the assets of more groups and individuals connected to North Korea&#39;s nuclear and missiles development, he said.

Japan&#39;s decision came after the UN&nbsp;Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea this week aimed at cutting its annual export revenue by a quarter.

South&nbsp;Korea also imposed fresh unilateral sanctions over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear and ballistic missile tests on Friday.

The South&nbsp;Korean government said in a statement it would ban entry by foreign missile and nuclear experts if their visits to&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;were deemed to be a threat to the South&#39;s national interests.

(Reuters)

The decision comes after North Korea's fifth nuclear test in September. Japan will consider further measures depending on Pyongyang's moves

Japan will impose additional sanctions on North Korea following the country's fifth nuclear test in September and consider further measures depending on Pyongyang's moves, chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Friday. Japan will expand a list of people prohibited from re-entering Japan after visiting North Korea, while also banning all ships that have called at ports in North Korea, Suga told a news conference. Tokyo will also freeze the assets of more groups and individuals connected to North Korea's nuclear and missiles development, he said. Japan's decision came after the UN Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea this week aimed at cutting its annual export revenue by a quarter. South Korea also imposed fresh unilateral sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile tests on Friday. The South Korean government said in a statement it would ban entry by foreign missile and nuclear experts if their visits to North Korea were deemed to be a threat to the South's national interests. (Reuters)

Japan to impose additional sanctions on North Korea

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday on the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in Aleppo, diplomats said.

The meeting will begin immediately following a Security Council session on the adoption of a resolution reinforcing sanctions against North Korea, which is scheduled to begin at 1400 GMT.

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The 15 ambassadors of the Security Council will get a videoconference briefing on the situation in Aleppo by a UN official in charge of humanitarian operations and the UN mediator in Syria, Staffan de Mistura.

In east Aleppo, thousands of civilians have fled the fighting and bombings as the Syrian government forces advanced against parts of the rebel-held areas.

The UN condemned on Tuesday the &quot;descent into hell&quot; being endured by civilians.

Up to 20,000 people have fled the regime offensive in the past 72 hours, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

&quot;France and its partners cannot remain silent in the face of what could be one of the biggest massacres of civilian population since World War II,&quot; said France&#39;s UN ambassador Francois Delattre on Tuesday.

He and his British counterpart Matthew Rycroft earlier in the day were pushing for the emergency council meeting on providing humanitarian relief to the besieged Syrian city.

East Aleppo has been under government siege for more than four months, with international aid stocks exhausted and food supplies running low.

Rycroft said the council would discuss plans for the UN to deliver much-needed food and medicine into Aleppo and evacuate the sick and wounded.

&quot;Russia complained that the opposition had not agreed to this plan. Now they have, so I call on Russia to make sure the Syrian regime agrees,&quot; Rycroft said.

&quot;The future of Aleppo is in the hands of the regime and Russia, and we urge the regime and Russia to stop the bombing and let the aid go through.&quot;

(AFP)

The 15 ambassadors of the council will get a video briefing on the crisis in the beleaguered Syrian city

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday on the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in Aleppo, diplomats said. The meeting will begin immediately following a Security Council session on the adoption of a resolution reinforcing sanctions against North Korea, which is scheduled to begin at 1400 GMT. The UN condemned on Tuesday the 'descent into hell' Aleppo's citizens are being made to live through × The 15 ambassadors of the Security Council will get a videoconference briefing on the situation in Aleppo by a UN official in charge of humanitarian operations and the UN mediator in Syria, Staffan de Mistura. In east Aleppo, thousands of civilians have fled the fighting and bombings as the Syrian government forces advanced against parts of the rebel-held areas. The UN condemned on Tuesday the "descent into hell" being endured by civilians. Up to 20,000 people have fled the regime offensive in the past 72 hours, the International Committee of the Red Cross said. "France and its partners cannot remain silent in the face of what could be one of the biggest massacres of civilian population since World War II," said France's UN ambassador Francois Delattre on Tuesday. He and his British counterpart Matthew Rycroft earlier in the day were pushing for the emergency council meeting on providing humanitarian relief to the besieged Syrian city. East Aleppo has been under government siege for more than four months, with international aid stocks exhausted and food supplies running low. Rycroft said the council would discuss plans for the UN to deliver much-needed food and medicine into Aleppo and evacuate the sick and wounded. "Russia complained that the opposition had not agreed to this plan. Now they have, so I call on Russia to make sure the Syrian regime agrees," Rycroft said. "The future of Aleppo is in the hands of the regime and Russia, and we urge the regime and Russia to stop the bombing and let the aid go through." (AFP)

UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Aleppo

The number of people displaced by conflict in Afghanistan this year has surpassed half a million people, the United Nations reported on Wednesday, the highest number since it began tracking such statistics in 2008.

More than 515,800 people have been internally displaced by fighting in 2016, surpassing the previous record of about 471,000 set last year, according to the UN&nbsp;Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Violence has spread around the country as the Western-backed government battles Taliban and other insurgent groups.

The Taliban are estimated to control or contest nearly a third of the country, and casualties among civilians and the security forces are near record highs.

Tens of thousands of Afghans have sought asylum in Europe and other areas, but many have been forced to return home.

This year, more than 600,000 Afghan refugees who had been living in Pakistan were pressured to return, adding to a potentially long-term burden carried by aid agencies and the Afghan government.

&quot;I am concerned these record figures show not just an alarming number of new IDPs, but a longer term crisis where increasing numbers of families in Afghanistan are facing prolonged displacement,&quot; U.N. humanitarian coordinator Mark Bowden said in a statement, referring to internally displaced people.

&quot;We must collectively rethink the manner in which we provide assistance and ensure that vulnerable displaced families not just receive lifesaving, emergency humanitarian assistance, but support that delivers a real opportunity for IDPs to rebuild their lives for the long-term.&quot;

The United Nations says it has received a little over half of the $152 million in emergency funding it needs to address the immediate needs of internally displaced people in Afghanistan.

(Reuters)

Thousands have sought asylum in Europe and other areas as the West-backed government battles Taliban and other insurgent groups

The number of people displaced by conflict in Afghanistan this year has surpassed half a million people, the United Nations reported on Wednesday, the highest number since it began tracking such statistics in 2008. More than 515,800 people have been internally displaced by fighting in 2016, surpassing the previous record of about 471,000 set last year, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Violence has spread around the country as the Western-backed government battles Taliban and other insurgent groups. The Taliban are estimated to control or contest nearly a third of the country, and casualties among civilians and the security forces are near record highs. Tens of thousands of Afghans have sought asylum in Europe and other areas, but many have been forced to return home. This year, more than 600,000 Afghan refugees who had been living in Pakistan were pressured to return, adding to a potentially long-term burden carried by aid agencies and the Afghan government. "I am concerned these record figures show not just an alarming number of new IDPs, but a longer term crisis where increasing numbers of families in Afghanistan are facing prolonged displacement," U.N. humanitarian coordinator Mark Bowden said in a statement, referring to internally displaced people. "We must collectively rethink the manner in which we provide assistance and ensure that vulnerable displaced families not just receive lifesaving, emergency humanitarian assistance, but support that delivers a real opportunity for IDPs to rebuild their lives for the long-term." The United Nations says it has received a little over half of the $152 million in emergency funding it needs to address the immediate needs of internally displaced people in Afghanistan. (Reuters)

UN: Conflict displaced record number of Afghans in 2016

Deeply concerned over the &quot;deterioration&quot; in situation along the Line of Control in India&#39;s northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon called on both the South Asain neighbours to restore stability in the region.&nbsp;

In a United Nations statement Ban Ki-moon&#39;s spokesman said, &quot;The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the deterioration of the situation along the Line of Control in Kashmir in recent days.&quot;

The remarks come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan as both nations accuse each other of repeated ceasefire violations.

Pakistan alleged that 12 people, including three of its soldiers were killed in firings from the Indian side.

While the Indian Army warned of &quot;heavy retribution&quot; following the killing of three of its soldiers this week, with the body of one mutilated in a cross-border attack.&nbsp;

The secretary general called on &quot;all involved to prioritise the restoration of calm and stability in order to prevent any further escalation and loss of life&quot;.

Adding that Ban &quot;trusts India and Pakistan can find common ground and work towards sustainable peace&quot;, the world body said it supports &quot;all efforts to reach durable peace and security&quot;. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Ban Ki-moon urged both India and Pakistan to find common ground and work towards restoring calm and stability in the region

Deeply concerned over the "deterioration" in situation along the Line of Control in India's northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon called on both the South Asain neighbours to restore stability in the region. In a United Nations statement Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said, "The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the deterioration of the situation along the Line of Control in Kashmir in recent days." The remarks come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan as both nations accuse each other of repeated ceasefire violations. Pakistan alleged that 12 people, including three of its soldiers were killed in firings from the Indian side. While the Indian Army warned of "heavy retribution" following the killing of three of its soldiers this week, with the body of one mutilated in a cross-border attack. The secretary general called on "all involved to prioritise the restoration of calm and stability in order to prevent any further escalation and loss of life". Adding that Ban "trusts India and Pakistan can find common ground and work towards sustainable peace", the world body said it supports "all efforts to reach durable peace and security". (WION with inputs from PTI)

Deeply concerned about 'deteriorating' situation along Kashmir LoC: UN chief

Nikki Haley was today named as US ambassador to the United Nations by President-elect Donald Trump, becoming the first Indian-American to be appointed to a cabinet-level post in any US administration, PTI reported.

&quot;Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country,&quot; Trump said

A former critic of Trump, the 44-year-old Haley is the first woman tapped by Trump for a top-level administration post during his transition to the White House.

&quot;She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals. She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage,&quot; PTI reported Trump as saying.

The presidential transition team said this would a cabinet-level position in the Trump-Pence administration and&nbsp;would require confirmation by the Senate.

&quot;Our country faces enormous challenges here at home and internationally, and I am honoured that the President-elect has asked me to join his team and serve the country we love as the next Ambassador to the United Nations,&quot; Haley said, commenting on her nomination to the key post.

After working at her family&#39;s business, Haley turned her focus to economic development and has travelled abroad to negotiate with international companies on behalf of South Carolina.

As governor, she has led seven overseas trade missions and successfully attracted jobs and investment through negotiations with foreign companies, PTI reported from the official announcement.

Haley, currently serving the second term as governor, has served as her home state&#39;s first female and first minority governor.

The country&#39;s youngest governor&nbsp;has worked on trade and labour issues although she has little foreign policy experience.

Haley was critical of Trump during the primary campaign and had backed Senator Marco Rubio in the Republican primary. However, before the general elections, she switched her position, saying she would vote for Trump.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Haley becomes the first woman tapped by Trump for a top-level administration post during his transition to the White House

Nikki Haley was today named as US ambassador to the United Nations by President-elect Donald Trump, becoming the first Indian-American to be appointed to a cabinet-level post in any US administration, PTI reported. "Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country," Trump said A former critic of Trump, the 44-year-old Haley is the first woman tapped by Trump for a top-level administration post during his transition to the White House. "She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals. She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage," PTI reported Trump as saying. The presidential transition team said this would a cabinet-level position in the Trump-Pence administration and would require confirmation by the Senate. "Our country faces enormous challenges here at home and internationally, and I am honoured that the President-elect has asked me to join his team and serve the country we love as the next Ambassador to the United Nations," Haley said, commenting on her nomination to the key post. After working at her family's business, Haley turned her focus to economic development and has travelled abroad to negotiate with international companies on behalf of South Carolina. As governor, she has led seven overseas trade missions and successfully attracted jobs and investment through negotiations with foreign companies, PTI reported from the official announcement. Haley, currently serving the second term as governor, has served as her home state's first female and first minority governor. The country's youngest governor has worked on trade and labour issues although she has little foreign policy experience. Haley was critical of Trump during the primary campaign and had backed Senator Marco Rubio in the Republican primary. However, before the general elections, she switched her position, saying she would vote for Trump. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Nikki Haley named US ambassador to United Nations

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