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Human Development Report Shows Great Gains, And Some Slides

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By NEIL MacFARQUHAR

UNITED NATIONS — The world has made significant progress in income, education and health over the past 40 years, but the gains have been uneven and in some places war and the ravages of AIDS shortened life spans, according to a

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Currency War Risk Threatens Investment Recovery: U.N.

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GENEVA (Reuters) - The growing danger of a currency war is threatening the recovery in global investment, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said on Thursday.

Disputes between different countries about their exchange rates were adding to uncertainty which was deterring businesses from investing abroad, said James Zhan, director of UNCTAD's investment and enterprise division.

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ANALYSIS: Asia's Water Scarcity Poses Economic, Political Test

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 Source: ReutersBy Alan Wheatley, Global Economics Correspondent JINGHONG, China, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Framed by banana and eucalyptus trees, the caramel-coloured Mekong river rolls through this lush corner of Yunnan province in southwestern China with an unerring rhythm that is reassuring in its seeming timelessness. Yet as recently as April, a fearsome drought had shrivelled the Mekong to its narrowest in 50 years.

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http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/analysis-asias-water-scarcity-poses-economic-...

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Food crisis caused by biofuels?

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There are conflicting opinions over a World Bank report which suggests biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75%.

The original study in 2008 depicted a direct correlation between the spike in prices of food products and the increased global use of biofuels.

The report argued that: “Without the increase in biofuels, global wheat and maize stocks would not have declined appreciably and price increases due to other factors would have been moderate.”

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http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/12053/food-crisis-caused-by-biofuels

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Renewable Energy Surpasses Fossil Fuels Second Year In A Row

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Renewable energy topped fossil fuels and nuclear for the second year in a row in the USA and Europe in 2009, according to the Global Wind Energy Association (GWEC).Renewable energy accounted for 60% of new capacity installed in Europe and over 50% of new capacity in the USA in 2009. Renewable energy represented 25% of global electricity capacity in 2009 with 1230 GW of the total 4.8 TW. Renewable energy also accounted for 18% of global power production.

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