The United Nations’ human rights committee has unanimously condemned the “systematic, widespread and grave” human rights abuses in North Korea, citing its reported use of torture, the death penalty for political and religious reasons and numerous political prison camps.

The UN General Assembly is poised to approve an Arab-backed resolution calling for a political transition in Syria and strongly condemning president Bashar Assad’s regime for its escalating use of heavy weapons, UN diplomats said.

Iran, North Korea and Syria have blocked a United Nations treaty that would for the first time regulate the multi-billion international arms trade.

The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution welcoming positive changes in Burma but expressing serious concern at an upsurge of sectarian violence between Muslims and Buddhists in strife-torn Rakhine state.

The United Nations has voted overwhelmingly to recognise a Palestinian state, but the Palestinians still face enormous limitations: they do not control their borders, airspace or trade, they have separate and competing governments in Gaza and the West Bank, and they have no unified army or police.

The 193-nation UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution last night to upgrade the Palestinian Authority’s observer status at the UN from “entity” to “non-member state”, implicitly recognising a Palestinian state.

The United Nations voted overwhelmingly today to recognise a Palestinian state, a long-sought victory for the Palestinians but an embarrassing diplomatic defeat for the United States.

The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly denounced Syria’s crackdown and demanded the lockdown of its chemical and biological weapons.

Member states failed to reach agreement on a new UN treaty to regulate the multibillion dollar global arms trade, and some diplomats and supporters blamed the United States for triggering the unravelling of the month-long negotiating conference.

Arab nations have said they will go to the UN General Assembly and seek approval of a new resolution on Syria.

An oil pipeline has been attacked and left on fire in the central Syrian city of Homs, and regime troops have stormed several residential neighbourhoods in the nearby city of Hama, activists said.

Argentina’s president accused Britain of “militarising the South Atlantic” and said she would complain to the UN, as tension rises ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands war.

FOR the first time in more than a decade, the UN General Assembly yesterday condemned religious intolerance without urging states to outlaw “defamation of religions”, an appeal critics said opened the door to abusive “blasphemy” laws.

Syrian allies China and Russia have voiced serious concern over the spiralling crisis in Syria and called for immediate talks as pressure mounted on President Bashar Assad to end the deadly crackdown on dissent.

THE Palestinians have secured eight Security Council “yes” votes for their UN membership bid, just one short of the nine they need, the Palestinian foreign minister said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the UN General Assembly that he is again extending the hand of peace to all of Israel’s neighbours, especially to the Palestinians.

US president Barack Obama has declared there could be no shortcut to peace between Israel and the Palestinians, as he sought to head off a looming diplomatic crisis for the Middle East and US policy there.

The Palestinians have officially launched their campaign to join the United Nations as a full member state, saying they will stage a series of peaceful events in the run-up to the annual gathering of the UN General Assembly later this month.

US president Barack Obama endorsed India's bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, hoping to elevate the nation of a billion people to "its rightful place in the world" alongside an assertive China.

The United Nations’ independent investigator promoting physical and mental health says drugs should be decriminalised.

Serbia’s foreign minister warned that an international court ruling backing the independence declaration by Kosovo opened a “Pandora’s box” for secessionist movements around the world.

The UN General Assembly declared access to clean water and sanitation a “human right” in a resolution that more than 40 countries including the United States did not support.

The UN General Assembly reached an “informal agreement” to establish a single UN body with greater clout to promote equality for women.

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his country was ready to shake all hands “that are honestly extended to us” – but diplomats walked out during other remarks in his speech to the UN General Assembly.

The FIA has today suggested the latest threat to the future of Formula One could be over “in the coming days”.

Australia adopted the United Nations’ declaration of indigenous rights today, reversing its earlier opposition in what the government said was an effort to “reset” relations between whites and Aborigines.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told world leaders his country will defy any further UN Security Council resolutions imposed by “arrogant powers” seeking to curb its nuclear programme.

Zimbabwe has won approval to head a key United Nations body charged with promoting economic progress and environmental protection.

South Korea’s Ban Ki-moon was today sworn in as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations.

United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan urged Israel to “do their utmost” to protect civilians after two Palestinian women were killed as they marched into a Gaza combat zone to help free gunmen besieged at a mosque.

The US has decided not to seek a seat on the new UN Human Rights Council for now, preferring instead to see how the body takes shape, a US official in Washington said today.

In 2005, the United Nations delivered 1,200 reports on issues ranging from Guinea-Bissau to the rights of women in the developing world. Its human rights office alone produced 44,000 pages of documents – which in turn had to be translated into six official languages.

UN members agreed last night on a two-year budget with a €950m (€800m) spending cap next year to step up pressure for speedy UN management reforms that are a top priority for the US and the European Union.

A divided United Nations General Assembly committee has approved a resolution expressing “serious concern” at continuing reports of widespread human rights abuses in North Korea.

World leaders adopted a 35-page document at a summit at the United Nations yesterday.

WORLD leaders wrapped up a three-day summit yesterday that produced ringing calls for stepped-up efforts to combat terrorism and poverty but limited success in advancing the cause of United Nations reform.

The UN summit marking the 60th anniversary of the United Nations opened today with an appeal for collective action to prevent conflict and genocide and to protect human rights.

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has approved the final route of a barrier around Jerusalem that will include the largest Jewish West Bank settlement, officials said yesterday.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has approved the final route of a barrier around Jerusalem that will include the largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank, officials said today.

WHEN the issue of sending Irish troops to the Asian tsunami disaster zone cropped up, it was bound to raise questions.

The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding that Israel comply with a world court decision and tear down the barrier it is building to seal off the West Bank.

Palestinians were trying to rally the EU to support a UN resolution today demanding that Israel accept a world court ruling and tear down the barrier it is building to seal off the West Bank.

THE World Court said yesterday that Israel's barrier in the West Bank is illegal and should be torn down.

The International Court of Justice ruled today that the barrier Israel is building in the West Bank violates international law.