The body of Albany-based hotelier George Kolath, who hails from Kerala, was recovered on Monday afternoon, state police said. Bodies of his 11-year-old son, George Kolath Jr, and friend, identified as Krishnan Raghavan (52), were pulled out from the river on Sunday.
At the Human Rights Councils special session on Sri Lanka last week, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that investigating abuses allegedly committed against civilians by both the Government and LTTE will help the country transition into a new future. "There are strong reasons to believe that both sides have grossly disregarded the fundamental principle of the inviolability of civilians," Pillay had stated.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has revised upwards its estimates of worldwide unemployment, and called for a "global jobs pact" to address the current crisis.
In January, the UN had forecast that the world economy would shrink 0.5 per cent this year. The report predicted that with a coordinated, development-oriented policy scenario, the world economy would recover to an annual growth of 4-5 per cent in 2010-2015, led by a robust growth of 7 per cent a year in developing nations.
In his hard-hitting maiden address to an informal session of the 192-member Assembly on reform of the 15-member Council, Indian ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri lambasted a 'small group' of countries for trying to derail the process by insisting that expansion be limited to non-permanent category.
The members of the Security Council voiced their strong opposition to and condemnation of the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on May 25, 2009, which constitutes a clear violation of resolution 1718, the non-binding statement said.
Concerned over the plight of civilians caught up in the ongoing fighting in Sri Lanka, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has dispatched his Chef de Cabinet Vijay Nambiar, a former Indian diplomat, to the island nation to underscore his message for protection of civilians and resolution of the humanitarian situation there. Members of the UN Security Council on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the worsening crisis in northern Sri Lanka.
According to latest WHO update, Mexico and the US have topped the list of 30 countries where laboratory-confirmed human cases of the virus have been reported. Mexico has 2,059 cases with 56 deaths while the US has 2600 with three deaths. Canada has 330 cases, including one death, while Costa Rica has eight cases, including one death.
The World Health Organisation noted on Thursday international pandemic alert remains at phase 5, on a six-level warning scale, as the number of laboratory confirmed cases rose to 2,099 up by 441 from Wednesday including 44 deaths. Twenty-three countries have reported influenza A(H1N1) infections, with Mexico reporting 1,112 cases and 42 deaths, and the United States confirming 642 cases and two deaths.
The UN health agency at the centre of the global response to the outbreak said that 23 countries have reported 1,658 cases of infection and 30 deaths as of Wednesday. Mexico, where the outbreak originated, tops the list with 946 laboratory confirmed human cases, the World Health Organisation said.
Malayalam superstar Mammooty had a harrowing experience when he was questioned by officials at the John F Kennedy International Airport on his arrival in New York, over his Muslim name in his passport. Mammooty, 56, was 'separated for questioning' for two hours by security officials after part of his official name, Muhammadkutty Ismail, popped up on the computer screen at the immigration counter while his travel documents were being screened.
Welcoming the $1.1 trillion package committed by the world leaders at the G-20 Summit in London, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has said the developing and poor countries must get the "crucial" funds to avert a human development crisis.
The policy brief for a Global Green New Deal, developed by economists and the UN ahead of the G-20 meeting of world leaders in London in early April, highlights the benefits of investing a significant amount of the $3 trillion-worth of global stimulus packages in five areas. The UN Environment Programme said these areas include raising the energy efficiency of old and new buildings, more emphasis on renewable energy sources.
The items were purchased by Mallya after the auctioneers refused to take them off the auction despite request by Otis. But the Antiquorum said he would hold the items for two weeks because of notice by US Justice Department following Delhi High Court order staying the auction.
If the international community concentrates on empowering women through gender equality, it will actually be promoting the cause of democracy, mitigating poverty and improving general health, joint secretary in the ministry of women and child development Kiran Chadha told the ongoing session of Commission on Status of Women.
Addressing the Committee for Development Policy, Sha Zukang, under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs, said the worst economic crises since the great depression have thrown many more people into poverty.
James Otis, the owner of five of Mahatma Gandhi's personal items, on Thursday decided to withdraw from the controversial auction of the prized memorabilia, hours before they were due to come under the hammer. Sources close to Otis said he would formally communicate to the New York-based Antiquorum Auctioneers that he would like to withdraw from the auction.There was no immediate word from the auctioneer, who have maintained that the auction will take place as scheduled.
Indian diplomats in New York are making all out efforts to stop the auction of Mahatma Gandhi's personal items, even as community leaders and groups are working out strategies to buy them if the auction goes ahead on Thursday.
Caught in a racial row and faced with threats of boycott, the New York Post apologised on Friday over its controversial political cartoon, depicting the drafter of the US economic stimulus package as a chimpanzee, which many believe was a caricature of President Barack Obama.
Pressing for "actual negotiations" on the issue of UN Security Council expansion, India has asked the General Assembly for discussions to be held in an interactive format, as representatives of the world body met in New York to launch parleys on reforms.
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