A British anti-arms trade campaign and promoters of peace, human rights and the environment from the United States, Afghanistan and Turkey have been named as winners of this year's Right Livelihood Awards, also known as the "alternative Nobels."

American scholar Gene Sharp, a developer and promoter of nonviolent revolution techniques, will share the €150,000 ($195,000) cash prize three ways with Sima Samar, an Afghan doctor whose organization provides health care and education for the poor, and Britain's Campaign Against Arms Trade.

The terror of Saddam Hussein's secret police has lived on long after his fall through their millions of reports, which are still dragged up by Iraqi politicians and the media, often with damaging results.

But Saad Iskander, the head of Iraq's national archives, thinks the documents have been used for long enough, and is pushing legislation that would criminalise their release without the consent of the people they concern.

A prominent Muslim group in Austria called Wednesday on Saudi Arabia to allow a church to be built there, arguing that Riyadh supported mosques in Catholic countries.

"The liberal Muslims hereby request the construction of a church in Saudi Arabia," the group said in a letter to Saudi ambassador Mohammed al-Salloum, asking him to pass this demand on to the "appropriate authorities" in Riyadh.

Philippine authorities said Wednesday they had launched an investigation into the possible involvement of Catholic priests in the illegal trade of African ivory.

The inquiry came after a National Geographic report said church ownership of religious icons made from ivory was widespread in the mainly Catholic country of about 100 million people, officials said.

"War criminal" is not the first expression that comes to mind when seeing white-haired Chou Ching-feng in his living room in Taiwan, sipping tea with his daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

But nearly 70 years ago, he worked for the Japanese army in what is now Malaysia, guarding Australian prisoners in one of the numerous prisoner-of-war (POW) camps that were scattered across occupied Southeast Asia.

Sofia will be among the 10 Bulgarian cities vying for the title of 2019 European Capital of Culture, its mayor said Monday, highlighting the city's recent archeological digs as an added attraction.

Two European Capitals of Culture will be selected for 2019, one from Italy and one from Bulgaria.

The speaker of Tibet's parliament-in-exile Tuesday accused China of turning the Himalayan region into a giant prison camp as he opened the biggest meeting of the Tibetan leadership in four years.

"A state of undeclared martial law continues to remain in force in Tibet," Penpa Tsering said in an opening address at the conclave held in northern India.

Glittering jewels and the echoes of a 17-gun salute marked the climax of wedding celebrations for the daughter of one of the world's wealthiest men, the Sultan of Brunei.

Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah, 32, and Pengiran Haji Muhammad Ruzaini, 29, were presented to the royal court in a lavish traditional ceremony at the sultan's 1,700-room palace on Sunday.

Go hiking in the Alps around Salzburg these days and you won't be surprised to hear a resounding "Hol-la ra-e ho-e he!"

Amid the green pastures and snowy peaks that famously inspired Julie Andrews to launch into song in "The Sound of Music," a new Yodel hiking trail -- the first in the world -- hopes to teach tourists and locals this unique art of singing.

While devout Hindus wait for up to 90 hours to see their favourite deity at Ganesh Chaturthi, one of India's major festivals, others are opting to dodge the queues this year and say a virtual prayer instead.

The 11-day celebration of the birth of elephant-headed Lord Ganesha draws millions to worship at decorated idols of the god, but the statues are increasingly available to followers via live Internet streams.