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TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN - Expanding social protection programs in Asia and the Pacific will give poor and vulnerable people more opportunities to benefit from renewed growth in the region while boosting domestic consumption, building human capital, and helping to rebalance economies, a seminar audience heard.

BHOPAL: 'Akshaya Tritiya' also known as Akha Teej would be celebrated on 16 May this year like every year. Akshaya Tritiya is considered to be most auspicious day for performing marriage ceremonies among Hindus as per Hindu Vedic Calendar. Akshaya means 'something which does not perish' (A-kshaya). It is believed that marriage on that would bind the couple for seven births (or life's) due to which a large number of marriages are performed on the day. Due to this superstitious belief the festival is accompanied by an evil custom of child marriage. Thousands young children, adolescent boys and girls are tied to marriage bond on the day who are not physical & mentally prepared for marriage.

The Left will see a ray of light in the failure of the Trinamool Congress and the Congress to reach an understanding on seat-sharing for the forthcoming municipal elections in West Bengal. Of the 81 local bodies, which will to go the polls on May 30, the most important obviously is the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Given the widespread perception about the Left's decline in popularity, it is expected that a Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance will sweep the polls in virtually all the municipalities.

KOLKATA: In West Bengal, the Congress (I) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) failed to arrive at a seat adjustment for the Kolkata civic polls because of an excess of brinkmanship on both sides.

WASHINGTON — The World Bank has approved a credit of US$100 million to improve service delivery in Kenya's municipalities.

WASHINGTON - The World Bank Board of Executive Director have approved a US$ 300 million loan for the Mato Grosso do Sul State Road Transport Project in Brazil's fast growing Center-West region. The project seeks to improve the efficiency of the State road network through rehabilitation and surfacing of about 1,200 km of paved roads, contributing to improved population mobility and increased economic competitiveness of the State.

WASHINGTON ― The World Bank has approved a US$ 130 million loan to support the Second Phase of the São Paulo Metro Line 4, which will improve public transportation and ease traffic congestion, while protecting the environment in the state of Sao Paulo.

WASHINGTON ― The World Bank has approved a US$ 64.5 million loan to the State of São Paulo, Brazil, in support of the Water Recovery Project - Reágua. The project will increase clean water availability in critical watersheds of the State, benefiting 27 million people, including 4.3 million people subject to high or extremely high social vulnerability.

WASHINGTON — The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors have approved a US$60 million credit for Kenya to support unemployed youth in the country.

WASHINGTON — The World Bank has approved additional financing of US$292 million for two ongoing projects in Bangladesh: US$257 million to provide long term finance for infrastructure through the Investment Promotion and Financing Facility (IPFF) Project and US$35 million for bringing disadvantaged and poor children back to school through the Reaching Out-of-School Children project (ROSC).