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Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the world to support the efforts of people in the Middle East and North Africa to attain greater democracy, human dignity and social justice, saying they had expressed their frustration over inequality, corruption and repression.

The lead United Nations agency dealing with the global AIDS response today launched a campaign to help bring attention to the goal of ending new HIV infections among children by 2015 and ensure mothers living with HIV remain healthy.

At least seven people are reported to have died recently while sailing from Libya to Malta, bringing the number of reported or confirmed dead among people attempting to reach Europe from the North African nation to 81 this year, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

The appeals chamber of the United Nations tribunal trying key suspects implicated in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda today commuted a convict’s life sentence to 35 years in prison after reversing convictions on some counts in his indictment, and upheld the prison terms of two other men.

Amid concerns from the international community over the prospects of a “full civil war” in Syria, the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States on the Syrian Crisis, Kofi Annan, said today that the ongoing levels of violence and human rights abuses in the Middle Eastern country are unacceptable and the UN observer mission is possibly the only remaining chance to stabilize it.

The United Nations humanitarian chief today called on donors and humanitarian agencies to give continued support to the people of Afghanistan, stressing that there is still much to do during the country’s transition period.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulates François Hollande for his victory in the second round of the French presidential elections, which took place on Sunday, according to Mr. Ban’s spokesperson.

As negotiations towards finding a solution to the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau continue, the Security Council today reiterated its readiness to consider targeted sanctions against those involved in last month’s military coup if the situation is not resolved.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended that the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Liberia be reduced gradually by about 4,200 troops in three phases between this year and 2015, when it will have a residual presence of approximately 3,750 soldiers.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for global leadership dedicated to the common good, which brings nations together to find solutions for a world which is witnessing growing injustice, insecurity and social inequality.