International aid agencies are seeking nearly $144 million in a revised appeal to support humanitarian efforts in the Philippines, which was hit by a series of storms since September, the United Nations said today.

Despite the encouraging commitments by the Kyrgyz Government, women and girls are increasingly vulnerable to violence, exploitation and destitution, an independent United Nations human rights expert said today following her first mission to the country.

At least 25,000 poor rural households in Pakistan are expected to benefit from $18.3 million in funding from the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) that will help them maximize crop yields.

Government officials from Central Asian and neighbouring countries, international organizations and financial institutions pledged at a United Nations-sponsored forum today to cooperate in developing the best strategies for an early regional recovery from the global economic crisis.