Japan is ready to help Pakistan overcome the country's chronic power shortages, but at the same time it seeks comprehensive power sector reforms, a senior official from the Japan International Cooperation Agency said Friday.

By Vera Eckert and Christoph Steitz FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's green energy drive is proving surprisingly good for dirty brown coal as utilities squeezed by rival renewables and low wholesale gas prices use more of it. East Germany was a huge user of brown coal, or lignite, and Germany remains the world's biggest producer, but its use poses a problem for Berlin's environmental plans.

Pakistan and Bulgaria should expand and strengthen their bilateral relations in various fields including economy, trade, culture and education, a Bulgarian diplomat said Wednesday.The two countries should expand political consultations while Pakistan can make use of Bulgaria’s solid experience in coal power generation to exploit Thar Coal, said Daniel Hristov, Head of Consular Department, Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria.Talking to Senior Vice Chairman of Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers' Association (PVMA) Atif Ikram Sheikh, he said that we needs to promote economic ties

By Jan Korselt and Jason Hovet PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech power group CEZ <CEZP.PR> secured long-term supplies for one of its largest plants and cut a deal to end an EU probe, settling two out of a series troubles that have surrounded central Europe's biggest listed company. CEZ said on Tuesday it had signed a long-term supply deal with coal miner Czech Coal to fuel its Pocerady power plant, ending a long-running pricing dispute and adding up to 2 billion crowns (66.82 million pounds) to its 2013 core profit outlook.