London, Apr 5 : The UN Security Council is to hold an emergency meeting after North Korea defiantly carried out a provocative long-range missile rocket launch on Sunday that passed over Japan.

Both the US State Department and the Japanese Government have issued stark statements condemning the blast-off.

Japan said the launch was "regrettable" and the US called it "provocative" and said appropriate steps would be taken.

New York - The United Nations on Friday called for increased support to Myanmar's regions that were heavily destroyed by Cyclone Nargis almost a year ago, saying the help provided so far was below the actual needs of the people there.

Myanmar is currently facing a pre-monsoon season, particularly in the delta that was hard hit last May. The cyclone killed tens of thousands of people while hundreds of thousands of others lost their homes.

New York  - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Friday that US-Russian leadership is vital to implement treaties banning the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev agreed during their meeting in London Wednesday to commit to draw up a new deal on nuclear disarmament to replace the US- Russian strategic weapons reduction programme (START) which expires at the end of 2009.

New York  - A New York-based human rights group on Thursday urged the United Nations to declare April as Genocide Prevention Month. Six genocides - Bosnia, Rwanda, Cambodia, Armenia, the Holocaust and Darfur have significant anniversaries in April.

"We are trying to work with the United Nations to recognize the day," said Jonathan Freedman, spokesman for the Genocide Prevention Project. He said US Ambassador Susan Rice was to take part in a ceremony at UN headquarters related to the Rwandan genocide.

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday children and adults with autism can be helped to lead a normal life as the world organization marked an international awareness day on autism.

"This is not a far-off dream, it is a reality that can be attained by promoting positive perception about autism as well as a greater social understanding of this growing challenge," Ban said in a message.

The day was marked at UN headquarters with lectures, briefings and art shows with the presence of Yoko Ono, widow of the famous member of the Beatles, John Lennon.

New York - The UN Security Council remains concerned by the impacts of North Korea's intention to fire a long-range rocket and may convene to debate the event if necessary, a UN official said Thursday.

The council president, Mexico's UN Ambassador Claude Heller, said several members on the 15-nation panel, including Japan, have called for a possible meeting if the rocket is launched.

Unnamed US officials told CNN that Pyongyang was fuelling the rocket to prepare for the launch.