New York  - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked the government of Zimbabwe on Thursday to immediately end the ban on international humanitarian assistance in the country.

President Robert Mugabe, under attack for the violence in the presidential elections in May, retaliated by imposing severe restrictions on non-governmental organizations and private voluntary groups to assist large populations affected by the violence.

In June, Ban asked Mugabe to lift the curbs on relief groups, but Mugabe did not reply.

New York  - Raising the spectre of lawlessness and a humanitarian crisis in Georgia, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on both Russia and Georgia on Thursday to rein in their armed forces following reports of looting, continued fighting and lack of access to those in need.

Ban said he had become "extremely concerned by the humanitarian impact of the recent conflict on the civilian population in Georgia, which has suffered loss of life and injury, significant damage to property and infrastructure."

New York  - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday urged the implementation of the ceasefire arrangement between Georgia and Russia negotiated by the French presidency of the European Union.

Ban called for an end to the hostilities and the withdrawal of forces to the positions held before the conflict erupted Thursday in South Ossetia, a de-facto independent Georgian enclave inhabited by ethnic Russians.

New York  - Fighting in central Mindanao between Philippine government forces and Muslim groups has driven some 130,000 people out of their homes, raising the spectre of a humanitarian crisis, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday.

Ban said the displaced people face threats against their lives and livelihoods in the decades-long conflict between Manila and Muslims in the south.

Ban called for "restraint, protection of all civilians as well as access for the provision of speedy humanitarian assistance to the affected population."

New York  - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday strongly condemned the weekend bombings in Turkey and India and presented his condolences to families of the victims.

Istanbul was hit by a pair of bomb attacks on Sunday, killing at least 16 civilians and injuring more than 100.

Ban said in a statement he "deeply regrets the loss of life and conveys his sympathies to the families of the victims and the wounded."