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The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today welcomed news that a potential malaria vaccine could protect toddlers in Africa, and stressed the vital role of the continent's institutions in developing tools to fight a major killer of children.

Rapid population growth is starting to come to an end around much of the world, but many regions are still struggling against the problems of poverty and pollution, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette told a General Assembly meeting held today to mark the 10th anniversary of the landmark population and development conference in Cairo.

The members of the Security Council today condemned the ongoing fighting in Haiti and gave their backing to the top United Nations envoy and the UN peacekeeping operation in the Caribbean nation.

Families in the world's poorest countries can contract fatal pulmonary diseases from burning solid fuels that give off toxic gases in their poorly ventilated kitchens, two United Nations agencies said today, estimating the risk to be the equivalent of each resident smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.

Endangered species received new measures of protection after countries agreed to strengthen wildlife management, fight illegal trafficking and update trade rules for a wide range of plant and animal species, the United Nations environment agency said today.

The United Nations relief agency assisting Palestinians faces a $120 million shortfall for its emergency operations this year in Gaza and the West Bank, donor countries were told today.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today congratulated King Norodom Sihamoni for his election as Cambodia’s new King and Head of State.

The counting of votes in Afghanistan's historic presidential election began today after officials from the joint United Nations-Afghan electoral authority agreed to isolate some ballot boxes for further investigation of alleged polling irregularities.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan today hailed the inauguration of Col. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as Transitional President of Somalia, calling it "a significant and hopeful development" in the Horn of Africa country that has lacked effective national governance structures for more than a decade.

The future stability of Africa will be thrown into doubt if its people now living with HIV/AIDS - a valuable human resource for the continent - are denied treatment, a patron of the United Nations-chaired Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa said today.