Washington - Azerbaijan made more pro-business reforms than any other country over the last year, while Singapore remains the best place in the world to run a business, the World Bank said Wednesday.

Azerbaijan helped Eastern Europe and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia make more progress than any other region - more than 90 per cent of countries made improvements that made it easier to run a business.

New York - US markets fell Tuesday pushed down by financial and energy stocks on concerns about capital at investment bank Lehman Brothers Holding Inc and falling oil prices.

Lehman reached a near 10-year low after talks to sell a stake to Korea Development Bank collapsed.

An index of energy shares fell 6.4 per cent as oil shares fell to 103.26 dollars a barrel as Saudi Arabia said supplies would meet demand, Bloomberg financial news reported.

Washington - The United States expressed concern Tuesday about the health of Myanmar democratic activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who reportedly began a hunger strike last month to protest years of detention.

"The regime's continued isolation and detention under house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi makes it impossible to confirm reports such as these," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

"The United States and the international community remain deeply concerned about her welfare."

McCormack called for the immediate release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners held by the regime in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma.

Washington  - The United States expressed concern Tuesday about the health of Myanmar democratic activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who reportedly began a hunger strike last month to protest years of detention.

"The regime's continued isolation and detention under house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi makes it impossible to confirm reports such as these," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

"The United States and the international community remain deeply concerned about her welfare."

Rasna, the largest manufacturer and exporter of beverages and process foods from India, has decided to enter into instant tea segment.

This is the first time, the company well-known for its fruit and concentrated drinks, is venturing into the instant tea segment. The company plans to launch its 'Bollywood Chai' in global markets, including the US, the UK, Singapore and Australian market in shortly.

Presently, the company is carrying out market surveys in the UK, Singapore, Australia and other countries having a substantial section of people of Indian origin.

Telecom services firm Tech Mahindra Ltd has informed that it has secured a $250 million, from a US-based telecom services firm.

Under the 7-year contract, the company will provide all the managed services as well as the systems consolidation job for the US telecom company.

The company has also won a similar order but of a much smaller size from a Kuwait-based company. The order is valued at $10 million and has a 3-year-duration.