After Saudi uproar, U.N. chief urges protecting children

Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman (L) greets U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., June 22, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon warned countries on Tuesday that if "you want to protect your image, protect children" after diplomats said in June that Saudi Arabia threatened to cut U.N. funding when its military coalition was blacklisted for killing children in Yemen.

Riyadh denied making such threats. But Ban said in June he had come under "unacceptable" pressure that led him to temporarily remove the coalition from the blacklist, annexed to a U.N. children and armed conflict report, pending a review.