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New York: An outbreak of cholera in the three neighbouring West African countries of Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger has infected nearly 4,000 people and killed more than 260 others since May, the United Nations health agency reported today, blaming the epidemic on poor hygiene and inadequate access to clean water.

New York: A new online publication by the United Nations trade arm explores alternative methods that governments and international investors may use to resolve increasingly frequent disputes that must currently be handled through lengthy international arbitration.

New York: The massive floods in Pakistan have spread to the southern province of Sindh, where hundreds of thousands of people are on the move after evacuating their inundated villages, a United Nations official said today, as humanitarian agencies continued to deliver relief supplies to millions of those affected.

The Common Wealth Games 2010, opening to athletes world wide drawn from the commonwealth countries on October 3 this year, has generated more heat and debate than any other issue in the media recently, much more than its predecessor , the 1982 Asian Games.

Pakistan ISI's reported decision to treat the homegrown Islamists, in place of India, as its enemy number one raises many questions about the decision's implications for India, particularly for the strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir and also for Afghanistan. The foremost question is about the credibility of the decision.

LUCKNOW: Political tension is mounting in Uttar Pradesh as the day is approaching for the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court announcing the verdict on title suit of Ram Janam Bhoomi and Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. In all probability, the verdict will be given within the next fortnight and already, the leading political parties of the state, especially the BJP, SP, the Congress and the BSP are busy formulating their respective strategy to meet the fallout of the verdict.

NEW DELHI: The Reserve Bank of India is having some perception gap with the Finance Ministry in pushing reforms in the financial sector. While the Finance Ministry and Prime Minister's Office have been strongly favouring the liberalisation in the banking industry and allowing more foreign direct investment in the insurance sector, the RBI is now proposing the bringing down of the foreign equity in private banks, not to talk of hiking it. The RBI is more concerned with the consolidation of the domestic banks rather than expansion with foreign funds.

On the eve of Bill Clinton's visit to India, the Vajpayee government had relaxed import of as many as 1,400 items which had prompted the then Japanese prime minister to warn US that China, not Americans, will be its real beneficiary. Such financial tribute to big power visitors has been an essential part of our post-1991 foreign policy. In the case of Barack Obama's state visit in November next, preparations had begun April last with a series of diplomatic exchanges to identify areas of cooperation. The nuclear liability bill to exempt the US suppliers from paying for damages is on top of the list.

New York: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today offered to help Cambodia and Thailand resolve their differences over a disputed temple area along their common border.

New York: The United Nations anti-crime agency is helping to bolster the justice system in Afghanistan, where reconstruction and development are hampered by corruption and poor governance.