Council of Europe

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A police investigator and a court bailiff were found beheaded in a car trunk in Russia's mainly Muslim region of Kabardino-Balkaria, Interfax said on Tuesday, underscoring spreading violence on Russia's southern flank.

ANKARA (Reuters) - Herman Van Rompuy's appointment as the first European Union president provoked fears in Turkey that he might hinder Ankara's hopes of joining the bloc, with some media declaring outright that he is anti-Turkish.

Alleged CIA prison in Lithuania at center of probe and speculation. The austere building stands in the middle of a remote, thick forest surrounded by a high fence and numerous surveillance cameras.

Russia's Constitutional Court extends moratorium on death penalty until its complete ban. Russia's Constitutional Court effectively outlawed the death penalty Thursday, saying a moratorium on capital punishment should remain in force until the nation fully bans executions.

The Russian Constitutional Court on Thursday ordered that the death penalty cannot be applied in Russia even after January 1 when a moratorium expires.

Russia cannot apply the death penalty even after a moratorium expires next year, a court ordered Thursday, in a major step towards abolishing capital punishment in the country.

Laws regulating cybercrimes must target individuals and not society as a whole, an IT specialist told an Internet governance forum at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Tuesday.

Russia's Constitutional Court considers extension of moratorium on death penalty. Russia's Constitutional Court held hearings Monday on whether a moratorium on capital punishment should remain in force next year.

Campaigners are stepping up efforts to curb online tracking of Internet use by firms that deliver adverts tailored to the specific interests of consumers, as polls reveal widespread unease with the practice.

Campaigners are stepping up efforts to curb online tracking of Internet use by firms that deliver adverts tailored to the specific interests of consumers, as polls reveal widespread unease with the practice.

The Chinese government likely is endorsing cyberespionage against the United States, a new government advisory commission report, released Thursday, found.. A new report prepared for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission has concluded that the Asian nation is likely using his sophisticated IT systems to spy on America.The report, released Thursday, analyzed China's information warfare strategy and offered up a case study in which an unnamed U.S. company was infiltrated by hackers to collect research-and-development information. Prepared by defense contractor Northrop Grumman, the report cited evidence that suggested the Chinese government endorsed that mission. "China is likely using its maturing computer network exploitation capability to support intelligence collection against the U.S. government and industry by conducting a long-term, sophisticated, computer network exploitation campaign," the report said. "The problem is characterized by disciplined, standardized o

Lithuanian lawmakers demand probe into possible CIA prison. Lithuanian lawmakers on Wednesday demanded an investigation into allegations that the CIA established a prison for al-Qaida suspects in the Baltic country.

Ali, a 30-year-old Jordanian father of three, was without a job and desperate. A friend convinced him that selling one of his kidneys could improve conditions for his family and also save someone's life.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said Tuesday she had "indirect suspicions" that the Baltic state hosted a secret CIA prison for terror suspects, as a senior European official called for a beefed-up probe.

OSLO (Reuters) - Most members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee initially argued against awarding the 2009 Peace Prize to President Barack Obama before agreeing to the choice, Norway's top-selling daily Verdens Gang (VG) said on Thursday.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A new international pact is needed to ban trafficking in human organs, tissues and cells, protect victims and punish offenders, says a report issued on Tuesday by the United Nations and Council of Europe.

Nobel jury speaks out in defense of Obama prize, calls critics patronizing. One judge noted with surprise that President Barack Obama "didn't look particularly happy" at being named the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Another marveled at how critics could be so patronizing.

A new international convention is needed to prevent trafficking in kidneys and other organs and potentially life-saving tissues and cells, according to a joint study by the United Nations and the Council of Europe released Tuesday.

Study calls for new international convention against trafficking in kidneys, other organs. A new international convention is needed to prevent trafficking in kidneys and other organs and potentially life-saving tissues and cells, according to a joint study by the United Nations and the Council of Europe released Tuesday.

His last hopes fading, a 30-year-old illiterate Gypsy laborer whose lawyers say was tortured into confessing to murder awaits his unannounced appointment with the executioner.