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An independent United Nations expert today called on the Sudanese Government to promptly bring 11 detained human rights activists and journalists before a court of law or release them immediately.

The United Nations refugee agency today deplored Sweden’s decision this week to forcibly repatriate a group of 20 Iraqis, including five people from the minority Christian community who are originally from Baghdad.

In his end-of-year “state of the world” news conference, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called 2010 “a big year for the United Nations,” with progress on issues from biodiversity to electoral support in Iraq and Afghanistan, but warned of challenges ahead in Sudan, the Middle East and other world flashpoints.

Statistics experts from Asia and the Pacific, meeting under the auspices of the United Nations, today agreed to implement a strategic plan designed to strengthen the capacities of countries in the region to develop statistical records on population, social-economic issues and the environment by 2020.

The announcement by President Barack Obama that the United States supports the landmark United Nations treaty outlining the rights of the world’s estimated 370 million indigenous peoples was hailed today at the world body.

The United Nations ramped up its efforts to resolve the violent post-electoral crisis in Côte d’Ivoire today, demanding that outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo step down in the face of opposition leader Alassane Ouattara’s clear victory and intensifying its contacts with African leaders.

Even as Pakistanis displaced by the devastating floods that hit their country this year continue streaming back to their homes, many of them destroyed by the deluge, the United Nations and its partners warned today that humanitarian needs remain enormous amid dwindling resources.

A senior United Nations official has called on Pakistani authorities to probe the murder of a journalist gunned down in the south-western province of Balochistan this week, the fourth media professional to be killed in the country in less than two weeks.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appealed to the world for more funds to fight the cholera epidemic in Haiti that has already killed more than 2,400 people and infected nearly 110,000 others, 55,000 of whom had to be hospitalized.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Security Council today demanded that the Liberian Government “make all necessary efforts to fulfil its obligations” to freeze the assets of former president Charles Taylor, currently facing trial for war crimes before an international court.