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Globalization has greatly benefitted Finland over the last two decades, but has also left it particularly exposed to the global crisis. Given its extensive trade linkages and export characteristics, the economy has been hit hard, although there are signs of recovery. A decade of fiscal surpluses has allowed full operation of automatic stabilizers as well as sizable stimulus measures. The banking sector has weathered the crisis well, thanks to healthy capital buffers and prudent management. Nonetheless, it faces increased risks to profitability and asset quality, says International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the concluding statement under article iv consultation.

One has to live with one's past .But, it is not impossible to come out of the past's dark shadows. This seems to be happening with Punjab's ruling Akali Dal. Developments of the past some time indicate that the party is trying to free itself from some of the shackles of its ideological past. If it succeeds, it will be second time in the past fifteen years that it will be giving a positive and welcome turn to its hardline ideological commitments.

G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Banks meeting in Busan (Korea South) on June 4-5 called for accelerated progress on banking reforms with higher capital and liquidity requirements to ward off another systemic crisis in the global financial system, such as rocked the world in 2008 triggering a prolonged recession. The world economy is now on the path of recovery, though uneven across countries and regions.

New Delhi: Union Power Minister Shri Sushilkumar Shinde has said that Australia can play a major role in the energy sector of India which is growing at rapid pace with huge opportunities for investments and technology. Speaking at the 1st Australia-India Energy and Minerals Forum in Perth, Australia, today, he said that the two countries can work together in the areas of development of the use of Brown Coal (Lignite), energy efficiency, efficiency improvements of coal based power plants, hydro power development, power generation technology research and development of smart Grid in India.

New Delhi: In order to develop people-centric, sustainable and environmentally friendly modes of urban transport in the country, the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) is working on Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) project. The project is being implemented with the assistance of Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and World Bank. Demonstration Projects have already commenced in Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune (Maharashtra), Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Naya Raipur (Chattisgarh) and Mysore (Karnataka)

The UPA Government's mantra of inclusive development since 2004-05 has created entitlements to the people for an individual's legal right to information and right to work. This has been followed up with the right to education for 6-14 years age group in 2009-10. And now the Government is ready with a food security legislation. Added to this, a dedicated Ministry of Minority Affairs has been created at the apex to provide focused attention and integrated coordinated approach to the overall welfare of the minorities in India.

New York: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced that the Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, has accepted his invitation to become the co-chair of the United Nations-appointed high-level advisory group on climate change financing with immediate effect.

The Framework is a signature effort of the G20 and a principal tool by which we aim to deliver in the post crisis scenario. We should recall that after St. Andrews, there was some delay in kick-starting the framework exercise. But, with the cooperation of all member countries and international organizations, we have been able to make good progress. The IMF and the World Bank have given their reports with inputs from other organizations as mandated by Leaders at Pittsburgh. The Working Group and finance deputies have considered these and we have to take some important decisions today, so that we can submit a set of policy options to the Leaders who will shortly meet in Toronto.

Biodiversity is the variety of all life on earth. We rely on this diversity of life to provide us with the basic necessities such as food, fuel, medicine and other essentials we simply cannot live without. The economic value of genetic diversity present in wild varieties and traditionally grown landraces is extremely important in improving crop performance. Improvements in crop plants over the last 250 years have been largely due to harnessing of genetic diversity present in wild and domestic crop plants.

In India, of the total cultivated area of around 140.30 million hectares only 60.86 million is irrigated and remaining 79.44 million hectares is rain-fed. Rain-fed crops account for 48 percent area under food crops and 68 percent of the area under non-food crops. Irrigated land accounts for nearly 55 percent of food production while rain-fed contributes just about 45 percent. Rain-fed farming is risk prone and is characterized by low levels of productivity and low input use but if managed properly, rain-fed areas have the potential to contribute a larger share to agricultural production.