The FINANCIAL -- Close to $5 million in grant money has been awarded to 26 innovative climate adaptation projects, through the 2009 Global Development Marketplace, a global competitive grant program to fund innovation in development.

The FINANCIAL -- Federal and state regulators closed two banks in Florida and one in California on November 13. The latest seizures mean that 123 banks have failed so far this year.

The FINANCIAL -- According to RIA Novosti, one trillion rubles ($35 billion) were needed to transform Russia's national development bank Vnesheconombank from a state corporation into a joint-stock company, the bank's chief said on November 14.

The FINANCIAL -- FINCA International, along with Deutsche Bank, on November 12 announced that they have secured total capital commitments of $21.2 million for the FINCA Microfinance Fund B.V., the first-ever single microfinance network sub-debt deal.

The FINANCIAL -- Romania and European Investment Bank have finalised negotiations for a EUR 395 million loan to support the modernisation of Bucharest metro network, Phase IV, Line 5 Drumul Taberei – Pantelimon, section Drumul Taberei – Universitate.