Davos, Switzerland - Coordinated international efforts will be needed to lead the world out of the current economic crisis, the United Nation's Ban Ki-Moon and British premier Gordon Brown said Friday, urging countries to also maintain aid levels to the poor.

Brown said countries needed to "come together as one" and take steps like those he introduced in Britain, including capital injections and the introduction of stimulus packages.

Madrid  - A United Nations conference on Tuesday launched plans for a "global partnership" against hunger, with UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon urging donor countries to release more funds to guarantee food security despite the economic crisis.

"We must all do more," Ban said on closing the two-day meeting on food security in Madrid, hosted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Spain.

Madrid - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called on rich coun

New York  - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned the fighting between rebels and Sudanese government troops in El Fasher in the northern province of Darfur.

The fighting took place Monday on the outskirt of El Fasher, where the UN and African Union maintains the headquarters of its peacekeeping operation in troubled Darfur.

This follows clashes earlier this month in south Darfur involving the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Army/Minni Minawi, the UN said.

New York  - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday expressed confidence and optimism about the new US President Barack Obama, citing his commitment to addressing the "multiple crises of food, energy and human development."

"It is with great optimism that I congratulate Barack Obama on his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States," Ban said in a statement.

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