New York - World leaders on Monday promised a renewed effort to lift Africa out of poverty and into the "mainstream of the global economy," after a one-day United Nations conference taking stock of the continent's progress.

The new pledge came as African leaders and UN officials called for a boost in foreign development aid, even as a financial crisis in advanced economies left some concerned that aid commitments from wealthy nations might be drying up.

"Eradicating poverty, particularly in Africa, is the greatest global challenge facing the world today," read a declaration that was passed by the UN General Assembly Monday evening.

New York - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived Monday at the United Nations in New York in the face of protests, amid the US presidential election fray.

Jewish-American groups held a rally Monday morning outside UN headquarters in New York and planned another major demonstration on Tuesday, when Ahmadinejad is to give his formal address to the General Assembly.

The rally was catapulted into the US political limelight last week after it emerged that Sarah Palin, vice presidential running mate of Republican presidential nominee John McCain, was scheduled to speak.

Kabul - Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday left Kabul for New York to attend the opening of the 63rd UN General Assembly and meet world leaders including US President George W Bush.

On Wednesday, Karzai is scheduled to address session to inform about the progress his country has made against terrorism, the presidential palace said in a statement.

Phnom Penh - Cambodia's government strongly criticized former UN human rights special envoy Yash Ghai Monday with a letter to the editor published in a leading national newspaper.

Ghai resigned from the post a week ago. His relationship with the Cambodian government broke down amidst claims from Ghai that the government ignored him and from the government he was not neutral.

United Nations, Sept 21 : For the fear that Rwanda will withdraw its troops from Darfur, in western Sudan, the Bush administration okayed the appointment of Rwandan general - Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Karake Karenzi – to a top UN peacekeeping post - Deputy Commander of the Joint UN-African Union mission in Darfur, despite his poor human rights record.

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-