On March 15, the United Nations General Assembly voted 170–4 to create a new Human Rights Council, effectively dissolving the oft-criticized Commission on Human Rights. Candidates for the Council will need to be elected by an absolute majority of 96 votes in order to secure a position, and once elected members can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.

The International Red Cross says that over 665,000 people across 17 of Mongolia’s 21 provinces are struggling to survive this winter, and the cold is expected to kill millions of livestock. This is the fourth year that extreme winter conditions called “dzud” (a winter disaster that follows widespread drought in the summer and is specific to Mongolia) will devastate animals and herders of this region. At least 24,000 animals have perished since the beginning of this year, and the three preceding dzuds have already killed over six million livestock.

Mongolians living in Great Britain have collected material aid totaling $3,200 (U.S.) to help Mongolia’s traditional herding communities face the long and harsh winter. Severe winter conditions in several areas of Mongolia have caused a significant livestock losses; their herds are the primary source of livelihood for traditional herding groups.