KINSHASA, Sept 25, 2008 (AFP) - A human rights coalition deplored on Thursday the 'drastic deterioration' of the humanitarian situation in the restive eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

HARARE, September 13, 2008 (AFP) - Zimbabwean aid groups predicted Saturday that a power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and the opposition would not end the country's woes.

GENEVA, September 5, 2008 (AFP) - The Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC) accused the United States Friday of trying, with Denmark's help, to undermine a treaty for a global ban on cluster bombs.

HARARE, September 2, 2008 (AFP) - Zimbabwe is imposing strict new conditions on humanitarian agencies, despite lifting of a ban on their activities last week, a state-owned newspaper reported Tuesday.

In future, all such agencies will have to submit details of their humanitarian programmes and funding, as well as areas and modes of operation, to the government, The Herald reported.

HARARE, September 2, 2008 (AFP) - Zimbabwe is imposing strict new conditions on humanitarian agencies, despite lifting of a ban on their activities last week, a state-owned newspaper reported Tuesday.

In future, all such agencies will have to submit details of their humanitarian programmes and funding, as well as areas and modes of operation, to the government, The Herald reported.

GAO, August 24, 2008 (AFP) - Malian human rights group Temedt on Sunday announced a campaign to persuade the government to help what it described as 7,000 people being held as slaves in the north of the country.

ATHENS, August 23, 2008 (AFP) - A group of pro-Palestinian activists sailing for the Gaza Strip to break a year-long blockade accuse Israel of jamming their communications as they neared the area, a Greek left-wing party said on Sunday.

Israel has warned a group of pro-Palestinian activists sailing for the Gaza Strip to break a ...

Growing conflict and confusion between foreign troops and aid workers are squeezing relief groups ...

Growing conflict and confusion between foreign troops and aid workers are squeezing relief groups ...

KHARTOUM, August 1, 2008 (AFP) - International charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said on Friday it had evacuated staff from troubled areas of Darfur in Sudan following a series of assaults, leaving 65,000 people without medical care.

BERLIN, August 1, 2008 (AFP) - International aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) urged the West not to forget Myanmar three months after Cyclone Nargis hit it, saying the country was still struggling to cope with the devastation.

KABUL, August 1, 2008 (AFP) - Insurgent attacks in Afghanistan have hit record highs this year with hundreds of civilians killed, including 19 aid workers, and spreading insecurity cutting back relief work, aid groups said Friday.

LONDON, July 31, 2008 (AFP) - A defence worker who tried to smuggle heroin from Afghanistan into Britain was jailed Thursday for five years, British customs authorities said.

British Royal Air Force police stopped and searched Michael Doig, 24, as he prepared to board a flight from Kandahar in southern Afghanistan in June.

PARIS, July 26, 2008 (AFP) - French NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said Saturday it was lobbying government officials in Niger to allow it to continue its aid work, after it was ordered to suspend activities there.

ATHENS, July 26, 2008 (AFP) - France-based aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has claimed a 'humanitarian crisis' is unfolding on the Greek holiday island of Lesbos where around 800 migrants are detained in squalor.

The agency said Friday that conditions on the Aegean island were unacceptable and that Greek authorities were providing no help.

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2008 (AFP) - Thousands of people, mostly blacks and Hispanics, lined up outside a Washington hotel Wednesday, clutching documents they hoped would help them save their homes and escape unaffordable mortgages.

ROME, July 23, 2008 (AFP) - 'Have you come to hunt us or help us?' asked Rogi when Red Cross volunteers arrived at his camp to conduct a census as part of the Berlusconi government's controversial crackdown on immigrants.

Like other inhabitants of the camp, Rogi, a member of the Roma minority from Romania, greeted the volunteers with suspicion.

GENEVA, July 10, 2008 (AFP) - The Swiss branch of Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) on Thursday said it was withdrawing from Ethiopia's Somali region due to intimidation from the Ethiopian authorities.

SARAJEVO, July 3, 2008 (AFP) - A senior US diplomat here accused the Bosnian Serb government Thursday of attacks against the local branch of a global graft watchdog, saying they were undemocratic and potentially libellous.

GENEVA, July 3, 2008 (AFP) - The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Thursday it has pulled out three aid workers from Chad, citing a threat to their security in the volatile country.

The three aid workers were withdrawn from the capital N'Djamena, an IFRC spokeswoman, without specifying the threat against the group.

TOKYO, July 3, 2008 (AFP) - Thousands of anti-globalisation activists are heading to Japan to protest at the Group of Eight summit, but shouting at world leaders from across a secluded lake is as near as they expect to get.

DAKAR, June 29, 2008 (AFP) - International sanctions against the regime of newly-inaugurated Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe risk further worsening conditions for the country's population, an African NGO said Sunday.

HARARE, June 8, 2008 (AFP) - Zimbabwe's suspension of aid work before a presidential run-off will especially hurt HIV patients in the country, which has been hard hit by AIDS, a national association of NGOs said Sunday.

LONDON, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - Zimbabwe's ban on foreign aid agencies in the run-up to a presidential run-off later this month could lead to a major humanitarian crisis, British charity Save the Children said Friday.

BANJUL, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - A court for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ruled that Gambia must release journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh, media rights watchdog MFWA said Friday

UNITED NATIONS, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - World bodies and governments Friday strongly criticised an order from Zimbabwe for all non-governmental organisations to stop work there before the presidential run-off on June 27.

BRUSSELS, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - The European Union condemned Friday Zimbabwe's pre-election ban on activities by non-governmental organisations and called for it to be lifted.

LONDON, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - Zimbabwe should immediately lift its ban on non-governmental organisations operating in the country, Amnesty International said Friday, accusing Harare of playing politics with aid.

LONDON, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - World and regional bodies joined governments Friday in strongly criticising an order from Zimbabwe for all non-governmental organisations to stop work there before the presidential run-off on June 27.

GENEVA, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - The United Nations on Friday warned that the implementation of its programmes in Zimbabwe would be hit by the pre-election ban on activities by non-governmental organisations.

Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman of the UN humanitarian affairs bureau OCHA, said it would be the 'population that suffers' from any disruption in humanitarian aid delivery.

PARIS, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - France said Friday it was seriously worried about pre-election violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe and called on the southern African state to lift its ban on charity group activities.

'France is deeply concerned by the climate of intimidation and violence hat is developing in Zimbabwe,' said a foreign ministry spokeswoman.

LONDON, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - British-based aid agencies expressed concern Friday about the effects of an order from Zimbabwe for all non-governmental organisations to stop work there ahead of the presidential election run-off.

LONDON, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - Britain on Friday condemned Zimbabwe's order for all non-governmental organisations working in the country to halt their operations over claims of political activism before the presidential run-off.

GENEVA, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - The United Nations on Friday warned that the implementation of its programmes in Zimbabwe would be hit by the pre-election ban on activities by non-governmental organisations.

Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman of the UN humanitarian affairs bureau OCHA, said it would be the 'population that suffers' from any disruption in humanitarian aid delivery.

BRUSSELS, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel called Friday on Zimbabwe to immediately lift its pre-election ban on activities by non-governmental organisations.

'This ban must be lifted right away,' Europe's top relief official said in a statement.

HARARE, June 6, 2008 (AFP) - All non-governmental organisations wishing to operate in Zimbabwe will have to reapply for accreditation and promise not to interfere in domestic politics, the government announced on Friday.

'As we speak there are no NGOs. All NGOs have been asked to reapply for registration,' Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga told AFP.

HARARE, June 5, 2008 (AFP) - Zimbabwe has suspended the work of all aid groups 'until further notice,' a source at a national non-governmental organisation said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity.