Terrorism Watch

Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has ordered an end to America's engagement with several United Nations (UN) agencies, including the Human Rights Council (UNHRC), while initiating a comprehensive assessment of US financial assistance to the multinational organisation. The White House also extended a halt to funding for the Palestinian relief agency (UNRWA) and ordered a review of the UN cultural agency UNESCO. According to White House staff secretary Will Scharf, these actions were taken in response to perceived "anti-American bias" within these UN agencies. "More generally, the executive order calls for review of American involvement and funding in the UN in light of the wild disparities and levels of funding among different countries," Scharf said. The United States is among 47 members elected by the UN General Assembly for three-year terms in the UN Human Rights Council. It was set to conclude its current term on December 31, maintaining observer stat...

  IMPHAL, 2 Feb:   The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has urged the central government to set up a dedicated anti-narcotics bureau in the Northeastern region. The conglomerate of several Imphal valley-based civil society organisations also appealed to the Centre to declare the region as a “narco-terrorist emergency zone.” In a memorandum addressed to the chief ministers of the Northeastern states, COCOMI convener Khuraijam Athouba stated: “We urge the government of India to officially declare the Northeastern region as a narco-terrorist emergency zone to highlight the gravity of the situation and mobilise national resources accordingly.” It also demanded the establishment of a “specialised anti-narcotics bureau or force dedicated to combating drug trafficking and narco-terrorism in the region.” The bureau should work transparently and coordinate with the state governments and local authorities, the COCOMI said in the memorandum. The organisation also call...