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Madrid — In the last 15 years, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) opened the doors of development to an increasing number of citizens, by providing greater access to basic services (water, sanitation, electricity, education, health, etc.) needed to succeed in life. Chile, Uruguay, Mexico, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Argentina lead the 2010 Human Opportunity Index (HOI), according to a new World Bank study.

New York: The global downturn is threatening to reverse gains made - driven largely by agriculture - in combating poverty and food insecurity in Europe and Central Asia, a senior United Nations official said.

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet today has accorded “in-principle” approval for setting up of Indian National Defence University (INDU) as a fully autonomous institution to be constituted under an Act of Parliament at an estimated cost of Rs.295 crore (at current price level). It also accorded the approval for acquisition of 200 acres of land at Binola in District Gurgaon, Haryana for the proposed site of INDU at an estimated cost of Rs.100 crore (at current rates).

New Delhi: To give a major boost to Defence Research in the country and to ensure effective participation of the private sector in Defence technology, the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony today approved a series of measures that will transform and revitalise the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) - in form and substance.

New Delhi: The Department of Drinking Water Supply under the Ministry of Rural Development has constituted two Working Groups one each on Drinking Water and Sanitation to develop the strategic plan of the Department for the remaining two years of the current five year plan and also for next two plan periods. The issues to be taken up include defining the aspiration, assessment of situation, developing the strategy and plan implementation, steering mechanism and the monthly meeting for the same.

Shri Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas along with Shri S.Sundareshan, Secretary Petroleum; Chairman Indian Oil Corporation Limited; Chairman, Oil India Limited; Managing Director, ONGC Videsh Limited and other senior officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas participated in the signing ceremony presided by the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Mr. Hugo Chavez Frias for signing a joint venture agreement with the Corporación Venezolana del Petróleo S.A. (CVP) for the development and production from Carabobo-1 Project, in Orinoco Region of Venezuela. The signing took place in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, late yesterday night (India time). The new joint venture is PetroCarabobo S.A. Alongwith OVL, IOC and OIL, the other two partners of the consortium i.e,Spanish Major Repsol and Malaysian Petronas also signed the joint venture agreement.

The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on May 3rd, congratulated the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Gujarat for signing two Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) providing for two river-linking projects in the two States saying that the development of water resources in an integrated manner and adoption of various short term and long term measures were the need of the hour.

Why did the Congress agree for a caste- based census in principle when the party is divided on this issue? Those, who are against, have not recovered form the shock. Some suspect a deal between the Congress and the Yadav trio - Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav in return for their support to the nuclear liability bill which was introduced on the last day of the budget session of Parliament. It is interesting to see that the Congress party whose leaders like Nehru and Patel had dreamt of a casteless society, has taken a step to perpetuate it.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the seventh review of Uganda's economic performance under the Policy Support Instrument. At the request of the authorities, the Executive Board cancelled the current PSI and approved a new three-year program. Uganda's previous PSI was approved on December 15, 2006.

New York: Armed violence remains one of the main obstacles to the achievement the social development and poverty alleviation targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the United Nations development chief said at a conference to address the problem.