Category: News Desk

One in Eight of World Population is Chronically Undernourished: UN


The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation said today that efforts made to reduce hunger have slowed since 2007/08, with nearly 870 million people, or one in eight, suffering from undernourishment in 2010 – 2012.

In its latest report, State of Food Insecurity in the World 2012, the UN FAO estimated that 868 million people were suffering from hunger in 2010 – 2012, or about 12.5 percent of the world’s total population.

India’s GDP Growth to Weaken to Slowest Pace in Decade: IMF


The International Monetary Fund has lowered India’s growth forecast to 4.9 percent this year, its lowest pace in a decade, amid weak investment growth and a worsening global economic outlook.

One of the first major institutions to peg India’s growth below 5 percent, the International Monetary Fund said in its World Economic Outlook report today that “the outlook for India is unusually uncertain”.

Indonesian President Backs Anti-Corruption Agency In Feud Against Police


Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono spoke out in support of the nation’s anti-corruption body, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), on Monday after the KPK became entangled in a bitter feud with the National Police over investigations of corrupt behaviour into each other’s agencies.

Troika Sets Oct. 18 Deadline For Greece To Implement Reforms


Greece’s troika of international lenders – the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank – has warned the Greek government to implement up to 89 so-called “prior actions”, like overhauling labour and pension laws, by October 18 “at the latest”, or risk missing out on the next instalment of the bailout package, worth up to 31.5 billion euros ($40.6 billion).

Infographic: What is Fracking?


Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is, in essence, the extraction of natural shale gas that is trapped thousands of feet underground. How do we extract it and what does it look like? Is the process safe, and do the bold and controversial claims over fracking hold any weight?

Natural gas has the potential to bridge the gap between the current oil dominated energy mix and sustainable renewables. It’s cheap, abundant, and the cleanest fossil fuel in the world. But shale gas is trapped thousands of feet underground. How do we extract it and what does the process look like?

Key Economic News to Watch This Week: October 8


A quick preview of the week ahead: The European Stability Mechanism officially replaces the European Financial Stability Facility as the eurozone’s permanent bailout fund while Japan plays host to finance ministers from the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations, as well as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund officials who are set to convene in Tokyo for their annual meetings.

EU Contemplating Separate Budget For Eurozone: Report


The 27-member-strong European Union are presently discussing the possibility of developing a secondary budget – separate from the regular E.U. budget – for the 17 members that share the common euro currency, said a report by the Financial Times Deutschland (FTD) on Sunday.

MENA To Invest $740 Billion On Energy Projects Through 2017: Report


Saudi Arabia is set to lead the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in investments on energy projects over the next five years, said a report by the Arab Petroleum Investments Corp  (Apicorp) on Saturday.

According to Apicorp, as cited by Bloomberg News, oil producers in the MENA region would spend up to $740 billion to enhance their energy production capabilities, with Saudi Arabia alone spending up to $165 billion.

Infographic: Can Going Green Help You Save Money?


We all know that living a sustainable, or “Green”, lifestyle can have a positive impact on the environment. Some advocates of sustainable living also say that by altering their methods of transportation, energy consumption and diet, they are able to be live longer and healthier due to less exposure to carbon-emitting products.

EU Rejects French Study Claiming Links Between Monsanto Corn & Cancer


A recent French study demonstrating links between Monsanto’s NK603 genetically modified (GM) corn and cancer in rats has been found to be of “insufficient scientific quality” by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), reported Reuters on Thursday, though advocacy groups are now accusing the EFSA of putting the interests of biotech firms ahead of public safety concerns.