Stephanie Nebehay

A U.N. human rights expert called on North Korea on Monday to release tens of thousands of people believed to languish in political prison camps, while urging regional and world powers to raise such issues with Pyongyang alongside nuclear concerns.

The U.N. human rights chief said on Thursday that nearly 1,100 activists, opposition members and journalists are being detained on "politically motivated charges" in Belarus and called for their release.

Nine out of 10 Ukrainians could face poverty and extreme economic vulnerability if the war drags on over the next year, wiping out two decades of economic gains, the U.N.

The United States urged ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to review cases of "prisoners of conscience" and lift travel bans and other restrictions imposed on women's rights activists previously released from jail.

U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Tuesday that she has reached an agreement with China for a visit, "foreseen" in May, and that she had raised with Beijing the arrests of activists to support their freedom of expression.

The United Nations' human rights chief said on Thursday that tens of millions of lives were at risk in Ukraine as the conflict there intensified.

The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross told Reuters on Tuesday that he was "cautiously positive" the ICRC would gain access to Ukrainian and Russian prisoners held in the context of the conflict.

The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told Reuters on Tuesday that he was "cautiously positive" that the aid agency would gain access to Ukrainian and Russian troops detained in the context of the conflict.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Tuesday that Russian "crimes" in Ukraine are mounting by the hour, with strikes hitting hospitals, schools and homes, and called for holding perpetrators accountable.

More than 100 diplomats from some 40 Western countries and allies including Japan walked out of a speech by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the top U.N.

Ukraine and its allies on Monday called for a United Nations inquiry into possible war crimes committed by Russia during its military actions in Ukraine.

Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said on Sunday that it was "very probable" that neutral Switzerland would follow the European Union (EU) on Monday in sanctioning Russia and freezing Russian assets in the Alpine country.

Fuel, cash and medical supplies are running low in parts of Ukraine after Russia's invasion, which could drive up to 5 million people to flee abroad, U.N.

Civilians and critical infrastructure such as water and power systems in Ukraine must be protected from attacks in line with the rules of war, United Nations and Red Cross officials said on Thursday as aid agencies struggled to assess damage from Russia's attack.

Now that the Beijing Winter Olympics is over, U.N.

The United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet called on Tuesday for efforts to prevent a further escalation of the crisis in Ukraine and a return to dialogue in order to spare civilians and avert an exodus of refugees.

An ex-Credit Suisse manager told a Swiss court on Monday that millions of euros were paid out of accounts linked to a Bulgarian wrestler at the centre of an international drugs probe, despite the bank's legal compliance department being alerted.

CREDITSUISSE-KINGPIN-TRIAL:Ex-Credit Suisse banker says she told bosses "everything" about Bulgarian clients

US-IRAQ-KUWAIT-UN:Iraq pays last chunk of $52.4 billion Gulf War reparations - UN

Switzerland’s highest court ruled on Wednesday that prosecutors cannot extend Swiss banking secrecy rules to all corners of the globe to pursue whistleblowers and other leakers at foreign subsidiaries.

Annan and the United Nations shared the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to reform the world body and give priority to human rights issues.