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From treating AIDS patients to rebuilding confidence for war-scarred villagers to dealing with cattle rustlers, more than 7,500 United Nations Volunteers (UNV) fan out around the globe every year, giving their time, hearts and sweat to helping some of world’s most deprived and traumatized people.

United Nations General Assembly President Miguel D´Escoto today hailed the outcome of the recent Doha global finance meeting as “remarkable,” noting that it urged donor States to maintain their aid commitments to developing countries despite the global economic crisis.

Zimbabwe is now facing its worst cholera outbreak in over a decade, with the number of suspected cases of cholera in Zimbabwe in recent months having climbed to nearly 14,000, including 589 deaths reported, the United Nations announced today.

Nearly 180 business schools from around the world have now signed up to a United Nations-backed initiative aimed at steering tomorrow’s captains of commerce into conducting more ethical and inclusive business practices.

The United Nations humanitarian chief announced today that around $380 million was pledged to its emergency relief fund that can be quickly accessed by the world body, potentially saving thousands of lives when responding to disasters.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced his growing frustration today that the United Nations' long-standing efforts to promote national reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar have yet to achieve the desired results and he urged the Government to release all political prisoners immediately and initiate “genuine dialogue” with the opposition.

Communities should harness the energy and initiative of the thousands of volunteers who contribute to projects around the world, including critical United Nations activities, senior UN officials said today as they marked the day dedicated to those who give their time and efforts for free to help others.

Although agriculture and deforestation together account for nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, farm communities and those deriving their livelihoods from forests can help combat climate change, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said today.

Children uprooted by the violence in the war-torn north-western region of Pakistan have unexpectedly benefited from their plight by having the opportunity to attend school for the first time in United Nations-supported camps, reported a senior UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) official.

Developing countries are set to benefit from a United Nations-backed partnership announced today that seeks to establish a coherent system of measurements throughout the world to minimize technical barriers to trade which are still a major obstacle to exports.