-The United Nations Thirteen years after the world set the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), countries have made big strides to meet the eight anti-poverty targets by their 2015 deadline, says a United Nations report released today, which stresses that the unmet goals are still within reach, but nations need to step up their efforts to achieve them. "In more than a decade of experience in working towards the MDGs, we have learned...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would ensure smooth panchayat polls in West Bengal after the State Election Commission rushed with a petition accusing the MAMata Banerjee government of playing truant in providing adequate security forces for a free and fair voting process. "We will ensure smooth conduct of panchayat elections in West Bengal," the Supreme Court said on Wednesday, displaying steely resolve to defuse...

-The Hindu     Unorthodox models of conservation are needed to save this elusive and magnificent big bird "Have you seen the Big Five?" That's the question you will invariably be asked if you visit the East African states. The Big Five, Africa's largest, and thus most prominent, MAMmals - the lion, the rhino, the leopard, the buffalo and the elephant - have dominated camp fire stories, tourist expectations and the growth of conservation. Across...

-The Times of India BARASAT: MAMata Banerjee has again failed Kamduni, where a college girl was gang-raped and brutally murdered on the night of June 7. Even 15 days after the crime, the CID has failed to file the chargesheet as promised by the chief minister when she visited the victim's family on June 17, ten days after the ghastly crime. MAMata's self-imposed deadline passed on Saturday. "We have the postmortem report...

-PTI Bankura: West Bengal Chief Minister MAMata Banerjee on Saturday asked why the UPA government was in a hurry to legislate the Food Security Bill when its continuance was in doubt, while denying that Trinamool Congress was opposed to it. "Congress is saying that they are going to pass the National Food Security Bill and the Trinamool Congress is obstructing it," Ms. Banerjee told a panchayat election meeting here in Bankura district. "You...