Brussels - The European Union's executive on Tuesday pledged food aid totalling 12.4 million euros (17.3 million dollars) to vulnerable Iraqis and Palestinians hard hit by rising food prices.

The pledge, which comes in response to an appeal from the United Nations, is intended to support up to 1.9 million poor and needy people in the two countries, a statement from the European Commission said.

Paris - The European Union on Tuesday urged the leadership of Guinea to hold free and transparent elections as soon as possible in the wake of the death of the West African nation's President Lansana Conte.

The 27-member European bloc appealed to the relevant politicians and civil and military institutions to respect the constitution and ensure a peaceful transition of power, the French EU Presidency said in a statement released in Paris.

Agartala, Dec. 23 : The implementation of various schemes under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) has given a reason to smile to the people in Tripura, especially the poor in the State's rural areas.

The poor are happy to notice that under the NREGA, they are getting employment in the various developments schemes.

For instance, the road connectivity in Panisagar Block of north Tripura is likely to transform the lives of a lot of people, mostly of the tribal farmers.

Hyderabad, Dec. 23 : A tailor in Hyderabad is attracting everyone's attention by offering his personal services on demand at clients' houses. People can call him over his cellular phone and within no time he is at the client's doorstep.

With a sewing machine perched on a handcart, Satyanarayan, the tailor, reaches out to his customers, as he believes it saves them all the headache of waiting for days to get even little tailoring work done at tailor shops.

Unlike the stationed tailors of the city, he pulls handcart himself down the roads in search of customers.

Shimla, Dec. 23 : Christmas festivities have brought a refreshing enthusiasm to the local industry of Himachal Pradesh that had been facing a dull time for a while at many places.

Tourists in the hill resorts of Shimla and Manali that received a heavy snowfall this year, are awaiting the advent of Christmas with high hopes of celebrating it with loved ones amidst fun, frolic and more snow.

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 23 : Artisans from different parts of the country and abroad are exhibiting their works at an ongoing 13-day handicraft fair here.

The fair is a major draw for art and craft lovers to watch a variety of works of art including palm-leaf paintings, woodcrafts, ethnic hand-woven clothes and sculptures.

Most of the stalls here are looking like thatched huts fitting well into the theme of the fair "Rural crafts making".