Venezuela is vying for a seat on UN Human Rights Council Thursday over opposition from advocacy groups and fellow Latin American countries as the General Assembly chooses 14 new members of the panel. The Geneva-based council works to promote and protect human rights around the world. It has...

China on Thursday slammed as "groundless" a US decision to order Chinese diplomats to notify the State Department before meeting with local officials, in the latest spat to strain bilateral relations. Washington -- which called the move "reciprocal" -- announced the decision Wednesday in...

An "unprecedented" number of civilians were killed or wounded in Afghanistan from July to September this year, the United Nations said in a new report released Thursday, calling the violence "totally unacceptable". The figures -- 1,174 deaths and 3,139 injured -- represent a 42 percent...

Japan plans to postpone a major imperial parade celebrating the new emperor's ascension to the throne after nearly 80 people were killed in a devastating typhoon, local media said Thursday. The parade was scheduled for October 22 as part of a series of events marking the official...