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Just a quarter of a century ago, a sizeable number of the world’s richest men, corporate head honchos and their wives, who assembled at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan to attend the concluding session of the first ever full-body International Chambers of Commerce (ICC) meet in India, listened with rapt attention Dr Karan Singh’s discourse on Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita talking about the futility of life and frugality of power, explaining the purpose of wealth creation and extolling the virtue of giving it away for the benefit of the society.

Economically judged, excluding societal concerns, India is seemingly on a strong wicket as it enters the new fiscal year 2012, with a budget of Rs.11.08 lakh crores voted in no time by Parliament, hastening end of a chaotic session in which Government and the opposition were at loggerheads over corruption and governance failures. The Government, badly mauled, with opposition attempts to tarnish the image of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who stood his ground firmly, needs to rejuvenate itself and become more credible for the rest of its term till 2014.

New York: Disputes over the practice of cybersquatting rose sharply last year, with nearly 2,700 cases filed for arbitration with the United Nations agency charged with protecting inventions, trademarks, industrial designs and copyright.

Executive Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have noted that, owing to a track record of prudent macroeconomic management and a resilient financial sector, the economy has weathered the global crisis well, with growth starting to rebound. Directors observed that the main medium-term challenge is to achieve economic diversification through sustained reform efforts.

New York: United Nations experts have recommended that two pesticides, one severely hazardous pesticide formulation and three industrial chemicals be added to a trade “watch list” under a UN-backed treaty aimed at helping poorer countries more effectively manage potentially harmful imported substances.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mr. Mauro Mecagni visited Cameroon during March 16–31, 2011 in order to conduct the 2011 Article IV Consultation. The mission worked closely with the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Regional Development. It met with Prime Minister Philemon Yang, State Minister, Secretary General at the Presidency, Laurent Esso, other several ministers, members of the Committee of Finance and Budget and that of Economic Affairs of the National Assembly, the Governor and the National Director of the BEAC, senior officials, the business and diplomatic communities, representatives of labor unions and civil society organizations, and development partners.

New York: High food prices prevented more than 19 million people in the Asia-Pacific region from lifting themselves out of poverty last year, the United Nations said in a new study released today, warning that soaring food and fuel inflation will keep large sections of the region’s population below the poverty threshold.

New York: Haitians must embrace the rule of law to advance peace and prosperity, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stresses in a new report, adding that the country and its new leadership will require sustained international support to achieve this goal amid a set of daunting challenges.

New York: The effects of slow-onset climate change are expected to have “potentially catastrophic” impact on food production in developing countries in future, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned today, calling for action to mitigate the adverse consequences.

The ensuing polls to the five state assemblies are absolutely crucial to the Left parties. While the Congress is in direct confrontation with the Left in some states, the BJP is not that relevant. The polls are crucial for the Left movement in the country. It will also have an impact on the national political scene.