WASHINGTON, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - The United States on Wednesday stepped up pressure on North Korea to improve its human rights record even as it pursued talks to end its nuclear weapons drive.

UNITED NATIONS, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - India, the Philippines, Mexico and Colombia -- all democracies -- were cited Wednesday among 13 countries with the poorest records of prosecuting murders of journalists, in a list released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

BUENOS AIRES, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - Authorities are 'very concerned' over the disappearance of a second witness to abuses carried out by military dictators in Argentina's 'dirty war,' President Cristina Kirchner said Wednesday.

BEIJING, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - China hailed the 100-day countdown to the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday, but simmering controversies over Tibet and the torch relay, as well as heavy pollution, cast a shadow over the milestone.

RABAT, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - A Moroccan human rights body on Wednesday strongly linked the remains of 15 unidentified bodies found in a state detention centre in the northeastern city of Nador to quashed 1984 protests. 'There are strong signs linking this case to the events of 1984,' the Consultative Committee for Human Rights (CCDH) said.

FREETOWN, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - Sierra Leone human rights lawyers on Wednesday asked to take up the cases of 174 suspects detained for years without trial at a maximum security jail in Freetown.

GENEVA, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - A trio of United Nations independent human rights experts on Wednesday expressed alarm at the continued killings of activists from trade unions and civil society across Colombia.

LONDON, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday he was 'unhappy' with China's actions in Tibet, which he said are clouding a human rights dialogue with Beijing.

He said he believed Beijing saw London as its major partner in the West but admitted there were difficulties in the relationship.

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - The United States said Wednesday it was 'concerned' about reports that China has sentenced 30 people to between three years and life in prison for their role over last month's Tibetan unrest.

BRUSSELS, April 30, 2008 (AFP) - The European Union welcomed on Wednesday a decision by the Turkish parliament to soften rules on the freedom of expression as a 'step forward.'

'This is a constructive step forward in ensuring freedom of expression and we look forward to its effective implementation,' the EU's current Slovenian presidency said in a statement.