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New York: Voicing concern over statements urging a boycott of Liberia's presidential run-off, the Security Council on Sunday called on all actors to work together to ensure a successful completion of the electoral process.

New York: The humanitarian emergency caused by last month's devastating floods in Central America is only just beginning, a top United Nations relief official said today, warning that the situation could get worse for the estimated 1.2 million people affected without urgent international support.

KOLKATA: The hurriedly called one-day meeting of the central committee of United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in Kathmandu on November 3 reflected a splitting mood in the Maoist party with the vice-chairman Mohan Baidya’s 10-point note of dissent. The UCPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed concern stating that “the intra-party rift reached its climax”. A day before the CC meet, Baidya a k a Kiranji in a press statement opposed the seven-point peace deal with the major parties on the integration of Maoists’ People’s Liberation Army with the Nepali Army.

The G-20 Leaders Summit in Cannes (Nov.3-4) may not have geared itself fully to confront the daunting challenges of restoring growth and financial stability with a time-frame, but its “firm commitment” to what it calls a “global strategy for growth and jobs” offers some hope for beleaguered economies while the overall outcome, given recent financial turmoils in Eurozone, must be rated satisfactory.

Surely but steadily Sonia Gandhi has been grooming Rahul to take over the reigns of the party. The first indication of her plan came to the fore when it was known the Intelligence Bureau Chief has been asked to brief young Gandhi on national politics. This was a clear hint that Rahul may intervene in matters of governance and events of national importance. Hitherto, the IB Chief was only briefing the Prime Minister and the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi.

New Delhi: India expects bilateral meetings with the heads of governments of eight South Asian countries with positive outcomes in the form of agreements at the sidelines of the three-day 17th SAARC Summit in Addu island of the Maldives from November 9.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today approved a three-year arrangement for Côte d’Ivoire under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) in an amount equivalent to SDR 390.24 million (about US$615.9 million), representing 120 percent of Côte d’Ivoire’s quota in the IMF. Approval makes immediately available a first disbursement of an amount equivalent to SDR 81.3 million (about US$128.3 million).

WTO Deputy Director-General Valentine Rugwabiza, in a speech at the University of Hong Kong on 4 November 2011, warned that “to turn to protectionist trade measures in the current circumstances would be a huge mistake triggering a game of lowest common denominator where the loser will ultimately be global growth”. She added that the influence of Hong Kong, China in the WTO “comes from the fact that she leads by example”.

WASHINGTON DC – A week of meetings among countries participating in the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) has resulted in more than $1 billion committed to solving the problems of climate change. Today, the Climate Investment Funds approved $ 1.08 billion in near-zero-interest loans and grants to support Bolivia, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Lao PDR, Mali, Mexico, and Nepal in their efforts toward arresting and adapting to climate change.

New York: A new United Nations expert body that promotes respect for human rights among businesses is inviting governments, companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to submit ideas and proposals to help establish its work programme next year.