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MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed trade finance agreements with Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank that are expected to bolster the trade sector and Georgia's role as a strategic hub between Europe and Asia.

What do social scientists Romila Thapar, Ramachandra Guha and Jean Dreze, dancers Leela Samson and Malavika Sarukkai, former bureaucrats/diplomats SP Shukla, Nirupam Sen and EAS Sarma, retired Navy chief L Ramdas, writers Arundhati Roy and Nayantara Sahgal, scientists MV Ramana and PM Bhargava, artists Krishen Khanna and Vivan Sundaram, and former vice-chancellors Mushirul Hasan and Deepak Nayyar, have in common?

The government’s acceptance of Anna Hazare’s demands has been seen as a retreat, but it is not impossible that there is a cynical plan behind the seeming capitulation. It is already evident, for instance, that unanimity of views may elude the members of the committee that will be set up to formulate the Lokpal bill. Even if its two heads – Pranab Mukherjee representing the government and Shanti Bhushan the activists – manage to work together, mainly because of the finance minister’s long experience in running such groups and Shanti Bhushan’s background as a law minister making him amenable to the official viewpoint, there will be other, more volatile members who may prove to be obstructionists.

New York: An independent United Nations human rights expert today voiced his deep disappointment and frustration that the United States has not allowed him unmonitored access to a soldier accused of being the source of large amounts of classified material given to the website Wikileaks.

WASHINGTON – Drainage and degradation of coastal wetlands emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide directly to the atmosphere and lead to decreased carbon sequestration, a new World Bank report has found.

New Delhi: India has offered expertise and latest technology in sugar industry to Ethiopia. National Sugar Institute will host students and technicians from Ethiopia to make them familiar with latest technology in sugar industry and will also send experts to provide training on the spot in Ethiopia.

New Delhi: The Government will come up with a new National Water Policy next year. This was disclosed here today by Shri Salman Khurshid, Minister of Water Resources. The existing National Water Policy was adopted way back in 2002.

New Delhi: During the course of investigation into an incident of a Captain from a private airline landing the aircraft on its nose wheel, it was noticed that the license was obtained by the said Captain by submitting forged marksheets of Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) Examination. Subsequently, DGCA launched a drive to examine the veracity of all Pilot Licences issued in the past. While inspecting the records of ATPLs issued in the past, 5 (five) more cases of forged result cards came up and were reported to Crime Branch of Delhi Police.

New Delhi: The Annual Plan for Jharkhand for the year 2011-12 was finalized at a meeting, here today, between the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia and the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Shri Arjun Munda. Plan size for the current year was agreed at Rs.15,300 crores.

New Delhi: Assam Rifles, the oldest Para-Military force in the country, celebrated its 176th anniversary here last Saturday. On this occasion, a glittering function was held at the Manekshaw Centre, Delhi Cantt. Member, North-Eastern Council, Shri PP Shrivastav was the Chief Guest. The function was attended, among others, by the Union Home Secretary.