In brief: N. Korean rights record before U.N.

United Nations – The world’s boldest effort yet to hold North Korea and leader Kim Jong Un accountable for alleged crimes against humanity moved forward Tuesday at the United Nations, where a Pyongyang envoy threatened further nuclear tests.

The U.N. General Assembly’s human rights committee approved a resolution that urges the Security Council to refer the country’s harsh human rights situation to the International Criminal Court. The nonbinding resolution now goes to the General Assembly for a vote in the coming weeks.

The resolution was inspired by a groundbreaking U.N. commission of inquiry report early this year that declared North Korea’s human rights situation “exceeds all others in duration, intensity and horror.”

North Korea sent a sharp warning in comments before the vote. Trying to punish it over human rights “is compelling us not to refrain any further from conducting nuclear tests,” said Choe Myong Nam, a foreign ministry adviser for U.N. and human rights issues.

Police make arrest in subway-shove death

New York – Police arrested a man on a murder charge Tuesday in the death of a stranger who was shoved into the path of a train at a New York City subway station.

Police said 34-year-old Kevin Darden, who has a history of robbery and assault arrests, was picked up by detectives Tuesday evening.

The 61-year-old victim was standing with his wife at a station in the Bronx on Sunday when a man pushed him onto the tracks as a train was approaching.

Darden is suspected of pushing another man on a platform at another subway station earlier this month, according to police. That man suffered minor injuries.