THE battle against global warming could be helped if the world slowed population growth by making free condoms and family planning advice more widely available, the UN Population Fund said yesterday.

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.

The global HIV/Aids epidemic is threatening efforts to achieve sexual and reproductive health goals that are supposed to improve the lives of women and reduce poverty, a UN chief said today.