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The United Nations today launched a new framework which seeks to give 15 million people with HIV/AIDS access to antiretroviral treatment by the year 2015.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his outrage at the attack that killed seven United Nations peacekeepers and wounded 17 military and police personnel.

Classrooms, teachers and pupils will continue to be seen as legitimate targets unless there is tougher action against human rights violations, an overhaul of global aid priorities and strengthened rights for displaced people, a new report by the United Nations educational agency warns, urging action on behalf of 28 million children out of school in the world's conflict zones.

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban for attending classes, today addressed hundreds of young people at the United Nations, urging them to use education as a weapon against extremism.

Despite recent improvements, conditions at an offshore processing centre currently housing 250 people seeking asylum in Australia do not meet international standards, the United Nations refugee agency said today, citing “continued and worrying shortcomings” at the facility.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) today expressed deep concern over reports of new clashes in strife-torn Jonglei state, as well as major mobilization of armed youth in the town of Pibor.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Jennifer Welsh of Canada as his Special Adviser who will focus on the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

A senior United Nations official today stressed the need to respect the right to privacy, using the case of United States citizen Edward Snowden to illustrate the urgent need to protect individuals who reveal human rights violations.

The United Nations refugee agency said today it is concerned about reports of a number of flights carrying Syrians being turned back from airports in Egypt, and reiterated its call on all Governments to admit and protect Syrians who have fled the conflict in their country.

Despite gradual improvements in the humanitarian situation in Somalia, the needs remain immense, a senior United Nations relief official said today, calling for greater investment to break the cycle of crisis in the Horn of Africa nation.