Reuters - Serbia underlined its rejection of Kosovo's Western-backed independence by conducting elections in the territory on Sunday, in defiance of the United Nations and the ethnic Albanian majority there.

AFP - The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees on Sunday demanded that Israel conduct an inquiry into the death of a mother of six during an Israeli army operation in the Gaza Strip last week.

AFP - Zimbabwe's government will bar Western countries from observing a runoff election unless they remove sanctions against President Robert Mugabe's regime, state media reported Monday.

AFP - Taiwan's president-elect Ma Ying-jeou named a China expert to head the national security council which coordinates the island's major policies, Ma's office said on Monday.

Reuters - More than 40 developing countries have recently approached United Nations officials to express interest in starting nuclear power programs, the Washington Post reported on Monday.

AFP - Myanmar's junta held a referendum on a new constitution Saturday, despite warnings more people would die unless it focused on delivering emergency aid for survivors of last week's cyclone.

AFP - Talks between Somali government officials and exiled Islamist leaders that were due to kick off Saturday have been delayed, a United Nations spokeswoman said.

AFP - Israeli air raids on Gaza killed five Hamas militants on Saturday as the Jewish state warned the United Nations it will defend itself against Palestinian rocket attacks from the isolated territory.

AP - More aid is on the way to cyclone-ravaged Myanmar — but so is the heavy rain.

Reuters - The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold a special session on May 23 to examine how the world's food crisis is undermining the right to food for millions of people, officials said on Friday.

AFP - Somali government officials and exiled Islamist opposition leaders are to hold face-to-face peace talks in Djibouti, the United Nations special envoy to the country said Friday.

Reuters - The United Nations appealed for $187 million in aid on Friday to help 1.5 million victims in cyclone-ravaged Myanmar and said it would resume relief flights despite the military government's seizure of food supplies.

AP - The United Nations is seeking $187 million to help an estimated 1.5 million cyclone survivors in Myanmar over the next three months, U.N. officials said Friday.

AFP - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke Friday with African leaders and former UN chief Kofi Annan for their insight into how to end Zimbabwe's presidential election crisis, her spokesman said.