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The 3,500-strong United Nations police force in Haiti is planning to reinforce its support of national police for the presidential run-off election on 20 March, although it does not expect trouble, according to the head of the contingent.

The United Nations humanitarian chief, Valerie Amos, arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today for a two-day visit during which she will travel to two of the country’s regions most affected by conflict – the provinces of North Kivu and Orientale in the north-east.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Kenyan Vice-President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka today discussed the International Criminal Court (ICC) process against six Kenyans, including three ministers, for alleged crimes committed during post-electoral violence three years ago.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today requested $1.4 billion in its annual appeal to assist children and women caught in crises, with the bulk of that needed for Pakistan and Haiti.

Women in rural areas have the potential to raise agricultural production to levels that would feed up to 150 million more of the world’s hungry people if they had equal access to the means of production, including land, financial services, education and technology, according to a United Nations report released today.

The United Nations and its partners today launched a $160 million appeal to address humanitarian needs arising from the crisis in Libya, where the Government’s violent crackdown against protesters demanding the ouster of Muammar Al-Qadhafi has sent around 200,000 people fleeing to neighbouring countries.

The head of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Thailand’s foreign minister today signed an agreement expanding the scope of the regional tsunami trust fund to include support for disaster preparedness projects.

Iran is still not providing the cooperation needed to conclude that its nuclear programme is purely for peaceful activities, the head of the United Nations atomic watchdog agency warned today.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for urgently addressing the plight of the thousands of Palestinian political prisoners detained by Israel, saying it is an important issue in the search for a just and lasting peace between the two sides.

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan has voiced concern over the plight of civilians affected by the recent fighting in the disputed area of Abyei, which has caused many residents to flee to neighbouring villages to seek shelter with relatives or other communities.