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New Delhi: The Indian Minister for HRD and Telecommunications, Kapil Sibal giving a twist to the proposal for integration of South Asia, suggested to concentrate on development issues based on commonality of the region rather than harping on increasing trade and investment flows.

Tuvalu’s recovery from the global financial crisis is slow, though inflation also remains subdued. With the government’s cash balances weak and likely to run out during 2011, gaining control over spending this year and holding the line in 2012, as well as continuing momentum with revenue reforms, will be crucial to securing donor support and moving the economy toward a more sustainable framework. Creating space for more private sector growth will require discipline in public enterprise management, retooling the financial sector to support private sector growth, and creating a transparent and level playing field across the economy.

Economic recovery appears to have come close to a halt in the major industrialised economies, with falling household and business confidence affecting both world trade and employment, according to new analysis from the OECD. Growth remains strong in most emerging economies, albeit at a more moderate pace.

New York: World food prices remained virtually unchanged during the month of August, with only slight increases observed in the prices of cereals and meat, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported today.

New York: With nearly 800 million people unable to read or write, the United Nations today marked International Literacy Day with a warning that illiteracy undermines efforts to eliminate a host of social ills such as poverty and sickness and threatens the very stability of nations.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission visited Sierra Leone during August 23-September 6, 2011 to conduct discussions for the combined second and third reviews of the program supported under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) approved by the IMF Executive Board in June 2010.

New Delhi: India has planned to prune its negative list of imports by 20% (from 400 to 320 items) by October-end this year. This will be applicable only for the member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries and is expected to boost intra-regional trade and investment in South Asia.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has given a jolt to the India-Bangladesh water diplomacy by not accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to Dhaka this week. The soft-spoken Singh hoped till the last minute that Mamata would join him in his trip along with four other North Eastern chief ministers.

New York: Persons with disabilities must enjoy full human rights and fundamental freedoms and enabling them to do so benefits society as a whole, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said today at the opening of a United Nations forum that is seeking to improve their lives.

New York: Pressures on the world’s limited amounts of soils available for agriculture together with land degradation are threatening global food security and imperiling long-term efforts to avoid widespread famine, a senior United Nations official warned today.