Dhabi, Nov. 19th, 2008 --United Nations has hailed the UAE initiative to host the launch sessions of the World Consolidated Appeal (CAP) 2009 in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 25, coinciding with the launch of Unified (CAP) from UN office in Geneva.

New York  - The UN General Assembly's human-rights committee on Tuesday adopted a protocol giving people rights to housing, food, water and sanitation, and holding governments responsible for the lack of such essentials.

The human-rights committee, known as Third Committee, adopted the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights without a vote. Amnesty International praised the move.

Geneva  - Georgia is expected to request an international peacekeeping force in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia Wednesday during the second round of talks in the wake of its war with Russia this summer.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry want the international troops to replace Russian forces currently in the areas, reported the RIA Novosti news service.

Georgia is also expected to ask for a Russian troop withdrawal from areas where it says the Russian forces are in violation of a French-brokered ceasefire.

South Ossetia, for its part, accused Georgia over the weekend of violating the agreement and firing at a sentry post inside the rebel region.

Geneva - A new ceiling artwork meant to inspire dialogue, human rights and global solidarity was unveiled Tuesday at the United Nation's Geneva offices.

The work, created by Spanish abstract painter Miquel Barcelo, graces a room where groups like the UN's Human Rights Council and the High Level Group of the Alliance of Civilizations meet.

Geneva - Five United Nations experts condemned Tuesday what they said were "severe convictions and the unfair trials" of prisoners accused of involvement in last year's anti-government protests in Myanmar.

Last week, a dozen detainees were each given 65-year prison sentences and more than 20 others, including five monks, received 24-year imprisonment terms, the experts said in a statement, noting that others still awaited sentencing.

A popular blogger, arrested several months after the protests were quelled, was also sentenced to over 20 years in jail.

Phnom Penh  - UN Assistant Secretary-General Peter Taksoe-Jensen will travel to Cambodia this week to discuss the country's troubled Khmer Rogue tribunal with Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, national