News
WCC affirms international responsibility to protect Darfurians
There is an "international responsibility to protect people at risk in the Darfur region of Sudan and in neighbouring Chad," affirmed the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee this week.
Russian Patriarch links rights and Christian ethics
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexiy II said on Tuesday European civilisation was threatened by a divorce of human rights from Christian ethics that opened the way to immoral behaviour.
UN rights forum urges Myanmar to allow visit
The United Nations top human rights forum strongly deplored on Tuesday Myanmar's "violent repression" of protests and called on the junta to allow its investigator to visit for the first time in four years.
AU outnumbered, outgunned in Darfur, says commander
African Union peacekeepers are outgunned and outnumbered by rebels and militias in Darfur, the AU force commander Martin Luther Agwai said on Tuesday.
Portugual removes detective leading Madeleine case
The head of Portugal's judicial police on Tuesday removed the detective who had been leading the investigation into missing British girl Madeleine McCann.
U.N. envoy meets Myanmar junta chief, Suu Kyi
U.N. envoy Ibrahim Gambari met separately with junta chief Than Shwe and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday, ending a four-day mission to Myanmar to try to halt a crackdown on the biggest democracy protests in 20 years.
UN Council condemns 'murderous attack' in Darfur
The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday condemned the "murderous attack" on African Union peacekeepers in Darfur amid sharp words over the identity of the perpetrators and how to punish them.
Sudan criticises US, EU after Darfur attack
Sudan criticised the United States and European Union on Tuesday for failing to impose sanctions on Darfur rebel groups believed to be behind the deadliest attack on African Union troops in the region.
Darfur attack shows need for robust force -UN
The deadly attack on an African peacekeeping base in Darfur shows the importance of deploying a robust African Union-United Nations force armed to protect itself and civilians, the top U.N. aid official said on Tuesday.
Oil-rich Norway must play bigger climate role, says new minister
Norway must play a leading role in the fight against climate change because its wealth is based on oil and gas production, the country's new energy minister said on Tuesday, urging the industry to do more on the environment.
US approves North Korean nuclear deal
The United States has approved a tentative deal reached in six-party talks that would disable facilities at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex by the end of the year, the State Department said on Tuesday.
AU says no threat of troop withdrawal from Darfur
The African Union denied on Tuesday that troop contributing nations had threatened to pull their forces from a mission to Darfur after a rebel attack on an AU peacekeeping base.
UN rights boss asks Myanmar to give 'full account'
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour urged Myanmar's junta on Tuesday to give a full account of people killed and injured in protests as well as the whereabouts of those arrested.
'Elders' visit south Sudan to support peace
South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Tuesday urged a group of elder statesmen to pressure the northern government to implement key parts of a north-south peace deal which ended Africa's longest civil war.
Greek migrant centre violates human rights-UN
A Greek detention centre for illegal migrants is an insult to human dignity and cholera could break out there at any time, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday.
China would follow US lead on climate-NRDC
China would soon follow the U.S. lead if Washington agrees to tackle its emissions in the next few years because China's government takes the threat of global warming more seriously than the United States does, a climate expert said on Tuesday.