Some 2,000 incidents, including sexual abuse, assault, and attempted self-harm, were reported in two years at a detention centre for asylum seekers in Nauru, Australia. Half involved children, a local newspaper has reported.

Dozens of Syrian military commanders and officials authorised or gave direct orders for widespread killings, torture and illegal arrests during the wave of anti-government protests that began nine months ago, Human Rights Watch said today.

An estimated 400,000 people – nearly one-twelfth the population – fled their homes to escape Kyrgyzstan’s ethnic violence, the UN said as throngs of refugees huddled in grim camps along the Uzbekistan border without adequate food or water.