Health Minister Nicola Roxon announced that private health insurance premiums will go up by an average of 6.02% on April 1. She said she had written to several large funds in this regards and had challenged their request for larger premium rises.

"Without that close scrutiny, premium rises would have been higher for up to eight million Australians," she said.

"This year's increase is the result of increased benefits paid to patients, rising health service costs, and investment losses from the global financial crisis."

Prague/Brussels  - The Czech Republic, current holder of the European Union's rotating presidency, called for the emergency EU summit on Sunday to reject protectionism as France vowed that a plan to support the auto industry would not break EU rules.

"We do not want any new dividing lines; we do not want a Europe divided along a North-South or an East-West line; pursuing a beggar-thy-neighbour policy is unacceptable. That the internal market remains united is of vital importance," Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said in a statement on Saturday.

Prague - The current Czech presidency of the European Union has called for a common approach to the financial and economic crisis from EU members, ahead of a special union summit in Brussels on Sunday.

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said in a statement from Prague on Saturday that "We do not want any new dividing lines; we do not want a Europe divided along a North-South or an East-West line."

Several Eastern European economies appear to be faring even worse than recession-hit western European states, in the face of rapidly weakening exchange rates and large current account deficits.

JDA earmarks funds for roads, sanitation, water supply lines and electrification

The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) will spend Rs45 crore to improve basic infrastructure like roads, sanitation, electrification, water supply lines and plantation in several areas falling under its jurisdiction. In a meeting on Friday, the Project Works Committee (PWC) of the authority gave its nod to the proposal and issued directions to study the viability of a policy for sustained development of various areas.

Implicitly, economic performance is slated to improve during the final quarter

The overall pace of economic growth decelerated to a lacklustre 5.5% during the fiscal third quarter from 8.9% a year ago and 7.6% the preceding quarter.

The decline follows a sharp plunge in the real gross domestic product (GDP) originating from the secondary sector and an absolute decline in thecontribution from the primary sector, which could not be offset by a robust showing of the tertiary segment.

Implicitly, economic performance is slated to improve during the final quarter

The overall pace of economic growth decelerated to a lacklustre 5.5% during the fiscal third quarter from 8.9% a year ago and 7.6% the preceding quarter.

The decline follows a sharp plunge in the real gross domestic product (GDP) originating from the secondary sector and an absolute decline in thecontribution from the primary sector, which could not be offset by a robust showing of the tertiary segment.