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The national rural employment scheme and farm loan wavers have been among the positive factors that had immensely contributed to the Congress party's election victory in 2009. Began as part of the Left-mandated common minimum programme, these were subsequently appropriated by Sonia Gandhi as her welfare package. Since then the party establishment had resisted every attempt by the PM's reform camp to dilute the aam aadmi programmes like food security, right to information and right to education. The Congress establishment argues that such schemes alone had helped the Manmohan Singh government shed its elitist image and avert a 'Shine-India'-like disaster.

KOLKATA: Bangladesh is effectively utilising its regional location in South Asia to upgrade its strategic importance and connectivity with major neighbour India and ally, China.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leaders in Kerala are back at what they are best at doing : indulging their passion for no-holds-barred infighting.

New York: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the people and institutions of Guinea to play their part in ensuring that Sunday's presidential polls are conducted peacefully and result in the formation of a government fully reflecting the will of the public.

New York: As the people of the small African nation of Burundi get set to cast their votes in Monday's presidential election, an independent United Nations expert has warned of potential violence and human rights violations, citing a number of recent worrisome developments.

New York: A United Nations human rights working group has urged Member States to back a global pact aimed at protecting people from enforced disappearances that is just two ratifications shy of the number needed to bring it into force.

New York: Gender equality and the empowerment of women will be the main focus of attention when government ministers from across the world gather in New York for the annual high-level meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) next week.

New York: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the global volunteer network Kiwanis International have announced a new partnership to eradicate tetanus in women and children worldwide.

New York: The United Nations Global Compact leaders' summit concluded in New York with a vow by the more than 1,200 corporate executives, government ministers and civil society representatives in attendance to strengthen their efforts to forge a more sustainable and inclusive world economy.

New York: The world's leading cocoa-producing and consuming countries reached agreement at a United Nations meeting on a new pact that aims to make the global trade in the $10 billion industry fairer and more sustainable.