New York - The UN Security Council on Thursday turned down a request by Somalia for a UN force in the troubled land, saying such a move would only be considered after advances are made in the political process and security situation in the African nation.

Somalia in August called on the council to deploy an international peacekeeping force without delay in order to put an end to its 17- year-old civil war. It had asked for a much smaller force than the previously proposed operation of 26,000 military and civilian personnel, and for proper funding so the force can do a "good job under reasonable circumstances."

The Hague - The former vice-admiral of the Yugoslav Navy responsible for the shelling of the historic city of Dubrovnik has been released after serving most of his sentence for war crimes, the UN war crimes tribunal said Tuesday.

Court president of the UN's International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Fausto Pocar, announced in The Hague on Tuesday that Miodrag Jokic, 72, had on July 24 served two-thirds of his seven-year sentence for the destruction of Dubrovink and was being released in consideration of good conduct.

Beijing - The United Nations food agency Tuesday made an urgent appeal for 60 million dollars in emergency aid to North Korea, saying the food crisis in some areas of the impoverished nation was t

New Delhi/Patna, Aug 29 : With incessant rains lashing catchment areas of the Kosi River, leading to dramatic rise in water levels has prompted the United Nations to rush its agencies to aid the government and independent bodies working to provide relief to flood victims both in India and Nepal.

A UN Children''s Fund (UNICEF) official, Patrick McCormick, said the world body has joined in the rescue and rehabilitation efforts in Bihar and Nepal.

About 1, 25, 000 marooned people have been evacuated so far in 11 districts of Bihar, the bulk of them by government boats and many on their own. Four helicopters and 200 country boats are working overtime to ferry the men and material to safe destinations.

Valletta, Malta  - The UN refugee agency asked the Maltese authorities Thursday to broaden the search for those missing in what is believed to be one of the deadliest incidents involving would-be illegal immigrants in the Mediterranean.

In a statement, the UNHCR urged the Maltese authorities to provide medical care to eight African migrants rescued in an incident which is believed to have left at least 70 people missing and feared dead.

New York  - The United Nations Security Council on Wednes