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New York: The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d’Ivoire reported today that it has received telephone calls from the heads of forces loyal to former leader Laurent Gbagbo stating that their soldiers have been instructed to stop fighting and hand in their weapons to the UN.

New York: The United Nations agency dealing with weather and climate today reported that ozone loss over the Arctic has reached an unprecedented level this spring owing to the continuing presence of ozone-depleting substances and extremely cold temperatures.

New York: The United Nations independent expert on the right to freedom of opinion and expression today voiced concern over Hungary’s recent controversial media law, saying it could be used to curb the freedom of the press.

New York: The United Nations rural development arm has lent Bolivia about $8 million to fund projects to alleviate poverty in two departments, the agency reported today following the signing of a financing agreement with the Government of the South American country.

As the Assembly election process begins in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, Indian politics seems set to enter a new phase which will unfold fully in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. May 13, when the results of the state elections will be declared, could well prove a turning point for many parties, in particular the Congress, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (DMK), the All India Anna DMK (DMK), the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and above all, the Left. The Bharatiya Janata Party has no major support base or stakes in the four states, but the future of its alliances will be influenced significantly by the results.

At the risk of being a spoilsport in a euphoric moment, it may be still pertinent to point out that the Indian cricket team’s victory in the 1983 world cup final was far more praiseworthy than the present one. For a start, the West Indian bowling attack was incomparably superior to Sri Lanka’s. Even today, if one thinks of the West Indian pace quartet of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner, it is difficult to believe how the Windies could have lost. In contrast, the Sri Lankan attack was virtually made up of one-and-a-half bowlers – Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan – of whom the famous off-spinner was playing in his last international.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff mission led by Mr. Mbuyamu Matungulu visited the Union of the Comoros from March 19-April 2, 2011 to conduct discussions for the third review of performance under the country’s economic program supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF)

Mirroring developments in core-Europe, Luxembourg experienced stronger-than-expected growth in 2010, says International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its latest assessment. Economic activity was initially underpinned by investment and restocking, but exports have increased markedly since the second quarter, notably financial services and metal products. Private consumption has also begun to gradually recover despite moderate increases in consumer lending spreads. Employment growth has been gaining pace but, despite enhanced employment support programs, the unemployment rate has not eased and remains at about 6 percent. Weak wage growth has tempered core inflation even though headline inflation has been boosted by global commodity price developments and administered price increases.

New York: With a major United Nations conference on the world’s poorest nations just weeks away, Member States today began another round of negotiations aimed at achieving a new action plan to advance the economic and social development of these vulnerable countries.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission visited Kampala during March 16-31, 2011 to conduct discussions for the second review under the Policy Support Instrument (PSI). The mission met with Finance Minister Bbumba, Bank of Uganda Governor Tumusiime-Mutebile, and other senior officials, as well as representatives of parliament, the private sector, civil society, and development partners.