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New York: A new United Nations report showing significant progress in improving access to HIV/AIDS services in 37 developing countries offers realistic hope for the achievement of universal access, a UN official responsible for battling the pandemic said today.

India is undergoing rapid dietary transition. High economic growth has resulted in a burgeoning middle-class having greater access to commercially available foods, including fried and baked food items. Most of these foods contain high amounts of Trans Fatty Acids (TFAs), particularly if cooked in vanaspati (partially hydrogenated vegetable oils) which is often preferred for its low cost and longer shelf life. TFAs can adversely affect cholesterol levels, predispose the individual to diabetes, coronary heart disease and may also affect many of his body organs.

Mercury is the only liquid state metal, which finds very wide commercial application in industries, electrical appliances, mercurial catalysts, healthcare sector for extensive , seed treatment, laboratory reagents etc. Because of extensive use in thermometers, sphygmomanometers, dental amalgams, agriculture for seed treatment, as laboratory reagents etc. Because of extensive commercial use, the mercury consumption in the country is quite high. The Mercury Cell process based Chlor-alkali industries are one of the major users and thus prime source of mercury release to the environment along with the coal-fired thermal power plants, plastic industries, pulp and paper industries, discarded medical instruments, used electrical appliance, electronic waste, certain pharmaceuticals and agricultural products.

Even before the all-party delegation comprising 39 political leaders visited the curfew-bound Kashmir Valley, it was clear that it would accomplish very little barring gaining some acquaintance with people's perceptions of the ground situation. There was wide divergence among its member-parties on the basic approach to be adopted towards Kashmir. Logically, an all-party delegation can be productive only if it conveys a strong, broad political consensus. But the Centre manifestly failed to evolve a consensus. Instead, it substituted the all-party delegation for it.

The sharp, sarcastic digs at Rahul Gandhi by Mamata Banerjee were yet another indication that she regarded West Bengal as her own personal fiefdom where no one else - either a friend or foe - had any place in the political field. To her, they were all basically adversaries and to be treated, therefore, with disdain and kept at a distance.

HONG KONG, CHINA - India's economy is set to expand by 8.5% in the fiscal year to March 2011 (FY2010) but persistently high inflation and a rising rupee could undermine future strong growth, says the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a major new report.

HONG KONG, CHINA - The resurgent People's Republic of China's (PRC) economy remains on track to grow 9.6% this year, and 9.1% in 2011, but policymakers will need to boost domestic consumption to make growth more sustainable and inclusive in the long term, says the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a major new report.

HONG KONG, CHINA - Developing Asia's robust recovery from the global crisis is gaining further momentum, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) says in its annual flagship economic publication Asian Development Outlook 2010 Update, released today.

The UK economy is on the mend, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Its Article IV Consultation Concluding Statement of the Mission says that Economic recovery is underway, unemployment has stabilized, and financial sector health has improved. The government's strong and credible multi-year fiscal deficit reduction plan is essential to ensure debt sustainability.

NEW DELHI: The five-year old National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, which was expected to deal with the problem of unemployment, under-employment, poverty and impoverishment in the countryside, seems to have reached at crossroads.