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MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) have pledged to continue working closely together and jointly mobilize their resources to promote sustainable growth, fight poverty, and protect the environment in the Asia and Pacific region.

After a short break, Haryana's infamous khap (caste) panchayats are back in action. Their Taliban-like diktats are acquiring not only violent and menacing form but are also becoming a play ground of property usurpers.

BHOPAL: If you want to be a citizen of India, you have to be a Hindu. This is the considered opinion of Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, Sar Sanghchalak (Commander-in-chief) of the RSS.

In a speech in Nairobi, Kenya, Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), assessed the impact of the global economic and financial crisis on Africa. While noting that the crisis had struck Africa through many different channels, he said that “all across the continent, we can see signs of life, with rebounds in trade, export earnings, bank credit, and commercial activity.” He said the IMF expects growth of around 4½ percent in 2010. “In short, I think that Africa is back—although a lot depends on a global recovery that is in its early stages.”

New York: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for calm in Togo, where the provisional results of the 4 March presidential election were announced on Saturday, and for any grievances to be resolved through the proper channels.

The Nitin Gadkari era in BJP has arrived. Even its worst critics will have to concede the enormous changes in BJP's political atmospherics and its domino effects on its decision-making style and inter-personal relationship. Gadkari is the one BJP president with delegated authority straight from the RSS chief. Murli Manohar Joshi and Rajnath Singh lacked this direct patronage.

The Finance Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee is widely regarded in the Congress party as its most dependable trouble-shooter. But the Budget 2010-11 he has presented is a palpably dangerous short cut to market-friendly growth and may pose problems for the Congress-led ruling coalition. Mr. Mukherjee has failed to come up with meaningful policy options to ensure steady sustainable development of the economy.

LUCKNOW: The latest actions by the Congress high command may weaken the party in the State and its president Rita Bahuguna Joshi.

New York: The first group of United Nations troops could leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by the end of June, as requested by the Government, the world body's top peacekeeping official said today following a visit to the country.

New York: The United Nations has appointed a group of independent experts to advise on ways to better protect women in conflict situations, and to ensure that their voices are heard in peace processes and that they are included in post-conflict reconstruction and governance structures.