Geneva  - Israel came under intense criticism Thursday, mostly by Arab and Muslims states, during a periodic country review at the United Nations' Human Rights Council.

Much of the focus was placed on Israel's activities in the Palestinian territories, including the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the state of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, as well as the presence of a security barrier and checkpoints in the West Bank.

The Palestinian representative called on Israel to "end its occupation of the occupied Palestinian territories and respect the rights of the people there."

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 3  -- Hundreds of religious and political leaders gathered in New York for the 60th anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Tuesday event, coordinated by the Universal Peace Federation's Office of U. N. Relations, also focused on how best to respond to human rights violations around the world, a federation statement said.

The theme of the event was "Interfaith Cooperation and the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity."

The statement noted that there is a growing role for religious leaders and non-governmental agencies to play in combating abuses.

Poznan, Poland  - With talks on global warming stalled, the world's eyes are on Barack Obama to break the impasse after he takes over as US president.

In some ways, it's easy. Under President George W Bush, the United States was vilified for its stand on climate change. Obama has promised US leadership in the complex global give-and-take, so he'll be widely welcomed as the anti-Bush.

Winning US congressional approval for his plans will be the crucial challenge.

Even before that, an activist president in the White House - Obama arrives there on January 20 - means other rich countries will face pressure to join in the solution.

Washington  - The world must step up its efforts to develop the kind of clean technologies needed to drastically cut emissions blamed for global warming, the outgoing US administration warned Wedne

Poznan, Poland  - Waiting for Obama is a prime pastime at this year's UN climate conference.

Until Barack Obama takes the US president's oath of office on January 20, work on a global deal to combat climate change is largely on hold. But his election is cheering negotiators working toward an accord due by next December.

"I am delighted to see that ... Obama is planning ambitious energy and climate policies," Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said as the two-week talks opened Monday.

With 190 nations attending and the Bush administration representing the United States one last time, Obama was the missing link at the talks in Poland.

New York  - Michel Sidibe of Mali was appointed Monday director of the United Nations programme to fight AIDS, a disease that has infected an estimated 33 million people worldwide.

The appointment came as the world marked World AIDS Day.

Sidibe is currently deputy executive director of the UN programme and will replace his departing boss, Peter Piot, whose name has been linked with the global fight against HIV/AIDS for years. Sidibe has 27 years in public healthcare services and has been Piot's deputy since 2001.

"The leadership of UNAIDS is in very capable hands," Piot said about the appointment. "UNAIDS has a vital role to play in sustaining the progress made in the global response to AIDS."