News
UN Rights Envoy Fears Severe Repression in Myanmar
The United Nations human rights investigator for Myanmar said on Tuesday he feared a "very severe repression" by the military junta and called on major powers to mediate in the southeast Asian country.
Letting Iran Go Nuclear Could Cause War says Sarkozy
Allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons could destabilize the world and lead to war, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told the United Nations on Tuesday.
Sudan Border Documents Lost, Damaged
Experts trying to demarcate Sudan's north-south border face the mammoth task of locating and restoring missing and damaged documents central to the implementation of a peace deal that ended decades of civil war.
Council of Europe to Vote on Creationism Next Week
Europe's main human rights body will vote next week on a resolution opposing the teaching of creationist and intelligent design views in school science classes.
UN Chief Warns of Daunting Challenges in World
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned world leaders on Tuesday of daunting challenges in the year ahead and vowed to leave "no stone unturned" to resolve the crisis in Darfur.
WHO Reports 2,100 Cholera Cases in Iraq
More than 2,100 people in Iraq have cholera which is spreading across the country, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.
Ethiopia Says May Call off Eritrea Border Pact
Ethiopia said on Tuesday it may terminate the pact ending its border war with Eritrea, accusing its smaller neighbour of breaching the deal on several fronts including coordinating "terrorist activity".
Britain Reports Third Case of Bluetongue Disease
Britain's farm ministry on Tuesday reported a third case of bluetongue disease in an animal in Suffolk in eastern England.
EU Urged to Boost Health Care for Illegal Migrants
European Union countries should guarantee access to health care for illegal immigrants, a French medical aid group said on Tuesday.
Global Fund Eyes $8 bln from Donors to Fight Disease
Anti-poverty campaigners led by rock star Bono want the world's rich nations this week to pledge about $8 billion for the next three years to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
UN Council Authorizes EU Force for Chad
The U.N. Security Council authorized on Tuesday a European Union peacekeeping force and U.N. police to help protect civilians suffering from the spillover violence from neighboring Darfur.
Bush Urges Sudan, Rebels to Cease Fire During Talks
U.S. President George W. Bush called on the Sudanese government and rebels to observe a cease-fire during peace talks next month, and urged fast action to end what he said was "genocide" in Darfur.
Crime-Stricken Bissau May Explode Within Months
Guinea-Bissau could "explode" within months unless the international community takes strong steps to stop Latin American drug cartels overrunning the poor West African state, a U.N. official said on Tuesday.
Egypt to Send 2,100 Peacekeepers to Darfur
Egypt will send more than 2,100 personnel to join a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Darfur region of Sudan, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Troops to Get Better Housing, Tax Breaks
The government pledged to improve living conditions for British troops on Tuesday by spending an extra 80 million pounds on housing and offering tax relief for soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mauritius Tops New Africa Good Governance Index
Mauritius is the best run country in Africa and Somalia is the worst, according to a new good governance index published on Tuesday.