UN conference appeals for change in education

September 25th, 2009 Clinton double-header at NYC conferenceNEW YORK — It's a family affair at the Clinton Global Initiative. Former President Bill Clinton is closing the conference Friday afternoon by reviewing how the week has gone.

July 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday asked all state governments to provide a detailed report of their objectives in the field of higher education by 2020 within a three month deadline. "In the next three months...each state must give its vision as to what it wishes to do by 2020 in the filed of higher education," he said at a conference here attended by higher education secretaries of states," Sibal said.

July 20th, 2009 Obama news conference moved to 8 p.m. WednesdayWASHINGTON — The White House says President Barack Obama's news conference on Wednesday will begin at 8 p.m.

July 16th, 2009 Firefighter denounces Sotomayor rulingWASHINGTON — A Connecticut firefighter who lost an appeals court ruling by Sonia Sotomayor has told a Senate panel that in his line of work, advancement has to be determined by skill and qualifications. Frank Ricci was among a group of white New Haven firefighters who were denied a promotion when city tossed out the results of an exam because not enough minorities had scored well enough to be promoted.

May 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Often the target of political jibes for being a Gandhi scion, Congress party general secretary Rahul Gandhi said while he felt dynastic politics was 'undemocratic', he would use it to change the system. Asked by a foreign journalist at a press conference here Tuesday whether it was undemocratic to hold an important position like his because of his family background, Rahul Gandhi said: 'It is undemocratic, and it's a reality that my father, my grandmother, my great grandfather were so and so....

April 28th, 2009 Supreme Court takes up special education caseWASHINGTON — A lawyer for an Oregon high school student told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the public education system failed to address his learning problems and then improperly denied his parents reimbursement after they enrolled him in a private school. A lawyer for the school system argued that the student's parents should have given public special education programs a chance before seeking reimbursement for private school tuition.

April 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Terming as ancient the mindset of all political parties on alternate sexuality and sex education, Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed Friday said that despite efforts to protect the rights of sexual minorities, there has been little progress at the policy making level. 'When we were drafting the 11th Five Year Plan, we included two chapters on state protection for sexual minorities under the aegis of the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry.

April 22nd, 2009 Hong Kong appeals court blocks PCCW dealHONG KONG — A Hong Kong appeals court has blocked a controversial $2 billion deal for leading telecom firm PCCW. PCCW says in a statement Wednesday the territory's Court of Appeal overturned a lower court's decision approving a buyout led by company Chairman Richard Li.

March 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Primal emotions like fear or romance override herd mentality, which is what governs people otherwise, especially when it comes to making choices. Advertisers have taken advantage of the herd mentality, which often explains why specific products are best-sellers or are particularly popular.

March 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - If you are afraid, you are likely to go with the herd; if you are lustful, though, you are more likely to go it alone, a new study has found. Advertisers have taken advantage of the herd mentality, which often explains why specific products are best-sellers or are particularly popular.

March 13th, 2009 COPENHAGEN - Researchers from over 70 countries ended a three-day meeting Thursday on future threats of global warming including rising sea levels. Potential threats discussed included acidification of oceans and reductions of glaciers and ice sheets causing sea levels to rise.

February 16th, 2009 MOSCOW - Russia has said it will not change its policy towards Iran under pressure from Europe and the US, IRNA reported Tuesday. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin said: 'Despite some countries which demanded for a change in Russia's policy on Iran, Russian officials see no reason for doing so.' The Russian leader was referring to the recent Munich Security Conference in Germany where some European leaders urged Russia to change its stand on Iran, which they believe is trying to make a nuclear weapon.

February 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - It will take 466 years to dispose all the criminal cases pending before the Delhi High Court if the present rate of disposal continues, according to a statistical analysis in the court's annual report. On March 31, 2008 there were 2,324 criminal appeals pending before the division benches, from which 214 appeals were disposed of, says the annual report for 2007-08, released Tuesday.

January 28th, 2009 DUBAI - The International Cricket Council (ICC) Thursday decided to reduce the number of appeals in umpire decision review system trial from three to two for the West Indies' home series against England. The decision was taken after the receiving initial feedback from players and match officials and if proved successful, will be used in Australia's tour to South Africa.

January 21st, 2009 JAMMU - The National Conference is yet to decide on poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir with the ruling coalition partner Congress, party president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah said Thursday. The alliance for the Lok Sabha polls with the Congress is yet to be taken up in the party, Abdullah told the media here.