ZURICH – Two months before FIFA is set to confirm Saudi Arabia as the 2034 World Cup host, the soccer body was urged again Friday to allow independent scrutiny of the kingdom’s human rights obligations for the tournament.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia narrowly failed on Wednesday to win a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, a blow to Riyadh's efforts to boost the country's rights reputation abroad and four years after it was rejected in a 2020 bid to join the 47-member body.

Saudi Arabia was defeated for a seat in the U.N.’s premier human rights body Wednesday after a campaign by rights groups urging the world body’s members to reject its bid.

United Nations members rejected Saudi Arabia’s bid to join the organization’s Human Rights Council amid opposition from activists who say the Gulf nation remains among the worst human rights offenders globally.

To stem the flow of talented young people exiting the country for brighter job prospects in other countries, Portugal’s government has proposed a novel plan. Beginning in 2025, young people earning up to €28,

Following a vote by the General Assembly, Saudi Arabia suffered a major diplomatic blow on Wednesday when it became the only competing member-state to fail to secure a seat on the UN’s top human rights committee.