UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the world is not safer than it was a few years ago, but did not comment on whether the US is more secure, which has become an issue in the US presidential campaign.

AIDS will leave 40 million children worldwide orphaned by 2010, with male sexual behaviour “largely responsible”, a United Nations report said yesterday.

The Irish Family Planning Association has called on the Government to condemn US President George W Bush’s decision to withhold $35m (€35.2m) from the United Nations Population Fund.