-SocialProgressImperative.org The 2014 Social Progress Index reveals striking differences across countries in their social performance, highlights the very different strengths and weaknesses of individual countries, and provides concrete guidance for national policy agendas. The Index is the sum of three dimensions: Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing, and Opportunity. Each dimension is made up of four equally weighted individual components scored on an objective scale from 0-100. This scale is determined by...

-The Business Standard Unfavourable weather conditions in US, Brazil; reduced supply on geopolitical tensions supported move, to ease soon Global food prices rose sharply to hit a 10-month high in March, following a 2.3 per cent rise in the prices of agricultural commodities brought on by unfavourable weather conditions in the United States and Brazil, coupled with geopolitical tensions in the Russian region. While the global commodity price rise opened an opportunity for...

-FAO Rome: The FAO Food Price Index rose sharply in March, up 4.8 points, or 2.3 percent, to an average of 212.8, the highest level since May 2013. "The Index was influenced, as expected, by unfavourable weather conditions in the US and Brazil and geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea region," said Abdolreza Abbassian, FAO Senior Economist. These and other influences are reviewed in greater detail in the AMIS Market Monitor report, the...

-PTI   Laxmi, a victim of acid attack has been selected by the US for the prestigious International Women of Courage Award. Ms. Laxmi would receive the award from First Lady Michelle Obama at an awards ceremony in Washington. She was 16 when an acquaintance threw acid on her face while she waited at a bus stop in New Delhi's Khan Market in 2005, disfiguring her permanently. "Many acid attack victims never return to normal...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The US Chamber of Commerce has advised its government to ratchet up pressure on India over intellectual property rights and prevent it from producing cheap generic versions of medicines under patent protection. In a recommendation to the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the chamber requested it to label India as a Priority Foreign Country, a tag which is given to the worst offenders of patent rights. The only...