UN children's convention at 20: Indian boy embodies the plight of millions of downtrodden kids. Arun Kumar was born to disabled parents, beaten by his grandparents, ran away from home, got a job in a garment factory and had all his savings stolen by the police.

A UN summit on the plight of the planet's one billion hungry opens here Monday, with activists warning it risks being a waste of time as leaders of the world's wealthiest nations are to be conspicuous by their absence.

A UN summit on the plight of the planet's one billion hungry opens here Monday, with activists warning it risks being a waste of time as leaders of the world's wealthiest nations are to be conspicuous by their absence.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon opened a UN food security summit on Monday calling for a "single global vision" to address the plight of the world's billion hungry people.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon opened a UN food security summit on Monday calling for a "single global vision" to address the plight of the world's billion hungry people.

The UN Hunger Summit on Monday vowed "urgent action" to combat food shortages but drew fire for failing to pledge new funds or set a timetable to beat the scourge affecting more than one billion people.

ROME (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Monday that agreeing a climate change deal in Copenhagen next month is crucial to fighting global hunger, which Brazil's president described as "the most devastating weapon of mass destruction."

ROME (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Monday that agreeing a climate change deal in Copenhagen next month is crucial to fighting global hunger, which Brazil's president described as "the most devastating weapon of mass destruction."

A UN summit on world hunger drew fire on Monday, even from the head of the UN food agency, for failing to pledge new funds or set a timetable to beat the scourge affecting more than one billion people.

The UN Hunger Summit on Monday vowed "urgent action" to combat food shortages but drew fire for failing to pledge new funds or set a timetable to beat the scourge affecting more than one billion people.

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - A binding international treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions will slip to mid-2010 or beyond and a summit in Copenhagen next month will fall short of its ambitions, the United Nations and Denmark said on Monday.

Bangladesh said Tuesday it would need 10 billion dollars from rich countries in the next four years to offset the effects of climate change -- double its original estimate.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel triggered a fresh rift with Washington over settlement building on Tuesday by approving the building of 900 homes for Jews on West Bank land it occupied in a 1967 war and annexed to its Jerusalem municipality.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel triggered a fresh rift with Washington over settlement building on Tuesday by approving the building of 900 homes for Jews on West Bank land it occupied in a 1967 war and annexed to its Jerusalem municipality.

Israel gave approval on Tuesday for the construction of hundreds of new housing units in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, drawing Western criticism as it drove another stake into troubled Middle East peace efforts.

The United States delivered an unusually strong rebuke of Israel, voicing dismay at the approval of new Jewish housing in annexed east Jerusalem as peace efforts hit a new low.

A UN commission investigating the assassination of Pakistan's ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto has questioned former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, the United Nations said Wednesday.

A UN commission investigating the assassination of Pakistan's ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto has questioned former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, the United Nations said Wednesday.

Israel on Wednesday fended off criticism of its approval of hundreds of new homes in annexed Arab east Jerusalem as France urged a resumption of stalled Middle East peace talks.

Israel on Wednesday fended off growing criticism that its move to build hundreds of new homes in annexed Arab east Jerusalem undermined US-led efforts to relaunch Middle East peace talks.