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BRUSSELS — The outlook for primary energy supplies, heat, and electricity is questionable for the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, despite Russia and Central Asia's current role as a major energy supplier to both Eastern and Western Europe. In spite of the underlying resource base, the region as a whole will face an energy crunch unless investments of more than $3 trillion are made over the next 20 years, according to the new World Bank report Lights Out? The Energy Outlook in Eastern Europe and the Central Asia.

WASHINGTON - The World Bank (WB) has approved a US$7 million grant from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) for the Sustainable Stockbreeding Management Project in Colombia, which is to be carried out by the Colombian Federation of Stockbreeders (Federación Colombiana de Ganaderos, FEDEGAN), and whose focus is to improve production systems to benefit farmers and the environment.

Washington — Only 20 of 128 economies have equal legal rights for men and women in several important areas for entrepreneurs and workers, according to a new World Bank Group report, Women, Business and the Law 2010. Inequality occurs across all regions and income levels. But many economies have been legislating to reduce these inequalities.

BEIJING - Despite the global recession, China's economy grew 8.7 percent in 2009, and the growth momentum continued in the first months of 2010, according to the World Bank's latest China Quarterly Update.

WASHINGTON - The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$9 million credit for the Second Public Sector Modernization Project (PSMP II) for Armenia. The project will assist the Government of Armenia in its efforts to improve the quality of public services by introducing a performance-based pay system and a code of conduct for civil servants, and by enhancing public access to all available government information.

WASHINGTON DC - The World Bank Board of Directors approved a US$50 million loan today for the province of San Juan in Argentina, aimed at improving the equity, quality and efficiency of education and health services, as well as making public sector management more efficient.

WASHINGTON — The World Bank has approved a new emergency grant of €19.3 million to enable Kenya's smallholder farmers to gain increased access to vital agricultural inputs and improved technologies to boost their output.

Is it not ironic that the left parties and the rightwing parties are playing a big role in steering the UPA government despite the government having a majority? When the UPA II was formed, the opposition was not only weak but also demoralised and divided. The Congress was euphoric after getting a second term. The people of the country heaved a sigh of relief that there was going to be a stable government for the next five years.

New Delhi: Shri Anand Sharma, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and US Trade Representative, Mr. Ron Kirk, has signed the India-US Trade Policy Forum Framework for Cooperation on Trade and Investment, in Washington yesterday.

New York: The top United Nations drug and crime official and Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom oversaw the destruction of some 6,000 illegal firearms today at the launch of a national programme to fight organized crime in a country that has a gun for every 10 people.