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New York: The process of ratifying the vote count in this month's Iraqi parliamentary elections is entirely a national responsibility, the senior United Nations official in the country said, stressing that the UN's role is only to advise election authorities when requested.

New York: The United Nations has allocated $3.7 million in emergency funding to support UN agencies in Mongolia as they try to assist more than half a million people suffering from the combined effects of a long, severe winter and a preceding harsh summer drought.

New York: Women continue to bear disproportionate responsibility for often unappreciated care-giving work in households and communities, despite significant progress in gender equality and women empowerment during the past 15 years, UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro has said.

New York: The United Nations agency tasked with fighting the spread of HIV has supported a call made by the world's parliamentarians to lift travel restrictions for people living with the disease.

The Estonian economy is emerging from a severe recession. After a cumulative output decline of almost 20 percent in 2008-09, IMF projects the resumption of modest growth in 2010. Domestic demand will, however, remain weak for some time. Medium-term growth prospects will therefore depend on the economy's ability to reorient towards exportables and on developments in Estonia's trading partners. Inflation is expected to remain subdued and the current account in surplus for several years.

Warsaw: Speaking at the Warsaw School of Economics, IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said that while the recent financial crisis had exposed some weaknesses in Europe's institutional framework, there is now an opportunity to strengthen integration and cooperation across the continent. “The crisis has been a setback, but the benefits of integration are beyond doubt,” he said. “Now is the time to take the European project to the next, higher level.”

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is investing up to $8 million for a 25% stake in Sungas LLC, a recently established liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distributor in Afghanistan, to help it expand a nationwide storage and distribution network.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a loan of up to $40 million to help build a new terminal at Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan, Armenia.

Situations never remain static. This is particularly so in politics which has the uncanny nature of unexpectedly changing political fortunes of its practitioners. Signs of such possible changes are emerging in Haryana as indicated by two developments. First is the Indian National Lok Dal-controlled Chautala family getting beleaguered by disproportionate assets cases and three breach of privilege motions against its chief Om Parkash Chautala admitted during the recently concluded State Assembly's budget session. Second is the possibility of the unity between the estranged opposition parties.

LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party supremo and UP Chief Minister Mayawati has marginalised Brahmins in the party to consolidate her hold on the core Dalit voters.