The UN Security Council condemned North Korea’s successful rocket launch today and said it will urgently consider “an appropriate response”.

Democratic uprisings across the Arab world and the Palestinians’ bid for UN membership sparked hope and excitement at last year’s meeting of world leaders.

The wives of the British and German representatives to the United Nations have released a video calling on the wife of the Syrian president to help stop the country’s violence.

The previously divided UN Security Council has sent a united message to the Syrian government and opposition calling on them to immediately implement proposals by international envoy Kofi Annan to end the bloodshed.

The United Nations is considering creating separate terrorism blacklists for al-Qaida and the Taliban, a political gesture that could spur possible Afghan peace talks.