Geneva - The United Nations Human Rights Council restarted Monday a special session on the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the first part, which took place last Friday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, warned of a deteriorating situation in areas of the DR Congo where the Tutsi rebels of General Laurant Nkunda have fought government forces.

She said both forces had committed severe abuses against the civilian population, including sexual violence against women.

ZURICH, Switzerland, Nov. 30  -- Final election results in Switzerland show voters rejecting a proposal to decriminalize marijuana, but passing a plan for prescription heroin.

The BBC said Sunday that the prescription plan will allow addicts to shoot up under medical supervision in a clinical setting and is aimed at getting hard-core users off the streets.

While critics said the idea sent the wrong message to young people, about 68-percent of Swiss voters seemed to agree with the argument that it would cut down on crime and keep addicts off the streets.

Geneva  - Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a proposition to decriminalize cannabis for personal consumption but voted by a large majority to extend a government programme that gives heroin to hard- core addicts.

In a surprise, voters chose to remove the statute of limitations on acts of paedophilia, despite government opposition to the proposal, which was put forward by parents' groups.

This put sexual offenses against children on equal footing with genocide and war crimes, the only other crimes that have no statute of limitations under to Swiss law.

Geneva  - The death toll from the recent outbreak of cholera in Zimbabwe has risen to 389, the United Nations said Friday, with a total of 9,463 cases reported.

In the least three days, 76 new deaths were reported, the UN's Children's Fund UNICEF said. The disease has also spread to more areas.

"The disease is preventable and curable," said Fadila Chaib of the World Health Organization.

The UN and its partners were bringing in more supplies, including water, fuel, hygiene kits and body bags.

Geneva/Brussels - The plan for Switzerland to join Europe's free movement Schengen area would help improve security for the confederation as well as for neighboring states, an official said Thursday.

"We want to improve the security situation in Europe," said Brigitte Hause-Suss, a spokesperson for Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf.

By joining Schengen, the Swiss and the other European members, though not Britain and Ireland which remain outside the pact, would share information on terrorism, criminal threats and asylum seekers.

Brussels - Switzerland is to join the European Union's free movement Schengen area a