London-based rights group Amnesty International on Friday expressed dismay at a Malaysian court decision to sentence opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to five years in jail after overturning his acquittal on sodomy charges.
Anwar was accused of sodomizing a former male aide at a luxury apartment in...
The United Nations human rights chief on Friday voiced concern at the increasing restrictions on civil and political rights in Burundi, following a series of violent acts by the ruling party's youth wing and the disruption of public meetings organized by opposition parties.
"I am concerned that restrictions...
The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) has appointed three ECB representatives to the Supervisory Board of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), it was announced Friday.
The three newly appointed SSM Board Members members were identified as Sirkka Hamalainen, Julie Dickson and...
The United Nations' World Health Organization (WHO) revealed Friday that the Center for Health Protection (CHP) in Hong Kong has notified it of an additional laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.
According to the UN agency, the patient is an 18 month-old...
The United Nations has launched a new initiative to end the recruitment and use of children in Government forces in conflict by 2016, with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressing that children should be armed with pens and textbooks, not guns.
Around the world, thousands of boys and girls are recruited...
The European Union has decided to deploy an Election Assessment Team (EAT) in Afghanistan to observe the upcoming April 5 presidential and provincial council elections, it was announced Friday.
The 28-member European bloc said in a press release that the decision was taken by EU foreign policy chief...
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has spoken with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe "Boogie" Yaalon and received a briefing on Israel's interdiction operation in the Red Sea that seized a suspected Iranian shipment of advanced weapons bound for terrorist organizations operating in Gaza, according to a Pentagon...
Describing strife-torn Ukraine as "a country on edge", UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson has called for an end to the "provocative rhetoric" that was stoking tensions there, and stressed the readiness of the United Nations to facilitate meaningful dialogue among all the key parties to help ease...
A group of independent United Nations human rights experts has asked the Venezuelan Government for prompt clarification of allegations of arbitrary detention and excessive use of force and violence against protesters, journalists and media workers during recent protests, according to a press release...
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) stands ready to help advise Libyan authorities in developing a national security strategy and strengthening their defense institutions, the western military alliance's Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said Thursday.
"Libya has already...
The two main political parties currently represented in Cambodia's Parliament have reached a five-point agreement for initiating electoral reforms that puts in a place a more transparent process, and provides greater freedom of expression as well as right to public assembly, an independent UN human rights...
Global food prices in February rose to their highest level since mid-2012 as a result of unfavorable weather and increased demand, the United Nations food agency reported Thursday.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said its most recent Food Price Index, which measures the monthly change...
Encouraging travelers to help in the global fight against trafficking in illicit goods and services, three United Nations agencies have jointly launched a new campaign aimed at raising awareness among travelers and the tourism industry, about making right ethical choices and reducing demand for illegal...
The commander of US Central Command has told the Congress that the Afghan government's long-term viability "is likely to be at high risk" if the American and NATO forces are required to leave Afghanistan at the end of the year in the absence of a security agreement, according to a Pentagon press release.
Army...
The United Nations Security Council has reached a unanimous decision to extend a partial weapons ban on Somalia for eight months amid reports that al-Shabaab and other militant groups are able to divert arms and ammunition intended for Somali government forces.
"All Member States are required to take...