Geneva

UN expresses grave concern over UAE’s Sheikha Latifa, demands proof of life

The princess says she is being held captive in a barricaded villa in video message filmed in a bathroom and obtained by the BBC in February.

In rare oral rebuke, UN voices alarm at Egypt's use of terror law

Egypt responds with disapproval and shock after 31 countries, including US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, expressed concern on Cairo’s use of terror legislation against a broad range of critics, including rights activists and journalists.

Muslims campaign against Swiss referendum on banning face veils

Opinion polls suggest a majority of Swiss will back the face veil ban, while campaigners argue that it’s about Islamophobia and controlling women in the public sphere.

Libya’s factions choose interim government ahead of elections

Libyan delegates chose a list of candidates in a UN-hosted process aimed to give balance to regional powers and various political and economic interests.

Turkey, Iran, Russia urge Syrian peace process free of foreign interference

A tripartite statement said the next international meeting on Syria in the Astana format will take place in Sochi in mid February.

New round of talks on Syria's constitution begins in Geneva

The US and its allies accuse Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad of deliberately delaying the drafting of a new constitution to waste time until presidential elections are held this year and avoid UN-supervised voting as called for by the UNSC.

UN says breakthrough achieved in Libya transition talks

The top UN official for Libya said that an advisory committee for representatives of Libya's different regions has proposed a way forward for choosing a transitional government that would lead the war-torn country to elections late this year.

UN: Libya’s rivals swap prisoners, part of ceasefire deal

The exchange of a first batch of prisoners, supervised by a joint military committee, took place in the southwestern village of al Shwayrif.

Tigray conflict: Nearly 100,000 refugees have run out of food in Ethiopia

UN and others warn refugee camps in Tigray need help, urging for access to deliver badly needed food, medicines and other supplies to the region where fighting between federal troops and local forces has continued for nearly a month.

The Spirit of the Rose diamond sells for $26.6M at Sotheby's auction

The diamond was mined in Russia and was named 'The Spirit of the Rose' after a ballet performed by the Ballets Russes and its legendary dancer Vaslav Nijinsky.

Azerbaijan, Armenia continue to clash over Karabakh

Fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops over Nagorno-Karabakh resumes ahead of a crucial meeting of Azerbaijan's top diplomat with US, Russian and French envoys.

UN rights body OKs more scrutiny of Belarus over human rights abuses

Backed by the European Union, the resolution seeks scrutiny on violations of human rights, in particular the crackdown on protests over the disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko.