News
Bangladesh Flood Victims Say Hopes Fading, Hunger Spreads
Mother of three Salma Begum and her husband built a hut after floods in July washed away their home in northern Bangladesh.
Foot and Mouth Found in Second Culled Herd
Cattle culled at a second farm in southern England have tested positive for foot and mouth disease, the agriculture ministry said on Friday.
Frightened Indonesians Suffer New Sumatra Quakes
Frightened residents on Indonesia's Sumatra island huddled in tents outside their damaged homes on Friday, traumatised by the latest of more than 40 aftershocks since a huge earthquake struck two days ago.
Cholera Outbreak Spreads in Northern Iraq, WHO says
Cholera has spread in northern Iraq, where the diarrhoeal disease has stricken 16,000 people and caused 10 deaths in a month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday.
Sudan's Bashir Meets Pope, Will Observe Ceasefire
Pope Benedict stressed respect for human rights in the first visit to the Vatican by Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who promised to observe a ceasefire in Darfur after peace talks start next month.
Religious Freedom Another Casualty in Iraq
Religious freedom is another casualty of the war in Iraq, where believers of all faiths are harassed, kidnapped or even killed, a U.S. government report said on Friday.
Chad Rebels Warn EU Force Against Blocking Them
Chadian rebels warned on Friday they would fight a European Union peacekeeping force destined for the eastern border region with Darfur if it tried to obstruct their struggle to topple President Idriss Deby.
US Says its Ozone Bid Beats Kyoto on Climate Change
A U.S. proposal to hasten the phase-out of gases that damage the ozone layer will be twice as effective as the Kyoto Protocol in fighting climate change, a top adviser to President George W. Bush said on Friday.
Darfur Rebels Urge Defiant Leader to Attend Peace Talks
Rebel commanders in the Darfur region of western Sudan urged the founder of their movement on Friday to take part in negotiations on ending four and a half years of conflict in Darfur.
Iran Hits Back at Canada at U.N. Rights Forum
Iran hit back at Canada on Friday for criticising its rising number of executions and treatment of women, accusing Ottawa of racism, police brutality and treating its indigenous people like second class citizens.
Germany Rejects EU Idea to Woo Foreign Workers
Germany on Friday rejected a European Commission plan to encourage legal migration of skilled workers into Europe to ease labour shortages caused by a declining, ageing population.
Floods in Africa Kill Dozens and Wipe Out Crops
Floods from torrential rains have caused the deaths of at least 80 more people, displaced thousands, and devastated crops and livestock across sub-Saharan Africa, officials said on Friday.
Merkel Backs Online Monitoring to Fight Terrorism
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that Germany must allow security services to use the Internet to track terrorist suspects' online movements.
At Least 56 Die Crossing from Somalia to Yemen
At least 56 Africans died trying to cross from Somalia to Yemen in the past 10 days, and others were beaten and doused with acid on a failed journey, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday.
Canada to Observe Nukes-for-Peace Talks
Canada has decided to send an observer to ministerial talks on a U.S.-led initiative to provide nuclear fuel to other countries in a way designed to limit proliferation, a Canadian official said on Friday.
UN Seeks $40 Million for Nicaragua Hurricane Aid
The United Nations made an emergency appeal for nearly $40 million on Friday to aid tens of thousands of Nicaraguans after Hurricane Felix tore into their country last week.