2009 crucial for India to fight global challenges: EU

October 6th, 2009 BEIJING - Heads of media organisations worldwide will gather in the Chinese capital for a unique summit Oct 8-10. The World Media Summit, with the theme "Cooperation, Action, Win-Win and Development", will be attended by officials from major media organisations including news agencies, newspapers, magazines, radio, television broadcasters and online sites.

September 7th, 2009 DUBAI - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) economy is expected to grow by at least three percent in 2009 despite the continuing global financial crisis, WAM news agency reported Monday quoting a senior minister. Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna Al-Qasimi said the country's business councils, and local, regional and multinational companies were playing a crucial role in this growth.

August 12th, 2009 NEW YORK - An organisation of Indians settled abroad will be celebrating its 20th anniversary here through a convention Aug 20-23, on the theme "People of Indian Origin: Strengthening Global Connections". The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO International) will hold the event that will provide an opportunity to deliberate on the global Indian diaspora, evaluate the body's progress in 20 years, to network, exchange ideas and connect with Persons of Indian Origin and Non Resident Indians.

July 18th, 2009 MUMBAI - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Saturday said there had to be "justice" for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, even as she noted that India's contribution towards the fight against extremism in Afghanistan and Pakistan would be "very helpful". "I believe that there has to be justice.

July 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US says it wants India as a global power to play a bigger role for regional stability, regional security and economic development as also in finding a global solution to climate change. "India is a global power," Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Philip J.

July 16th, 2009 LONDON - The British government Thursday urged India and Pakistan to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty as it unveiled its blueprint for addressing global nuclear challenges ahead of two key summits next year. It is in the long term interests of regional and global security for India and Pakistan to commence a process that will enable them to engage in the global disarmament framework, said a report published ahead of the NPT Review Conference to be held in May 2010.

July 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - With India playing a "vastly more significant role" in global issues, the US looks at Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's India visit as "a tremendous opportunity" to deepen bilateral ties and expand New Delhi's role. As Clinton herself noted a couple of days ago, "relations between the world's largest democracy and the world's oldest democracy have improved significantly over the last 20 years," State Department spokesman Philip J.

July 10th, 2009 Thiru - Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan left for New Delhi Friday to attend a crucial two-day meeting of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) during which a decision is expected to be taken on ending the feud between him and party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.

July 9th, 2009 L'AQUILA - Pakistan has got the support from the G8, the group of world's eight most wealthy and industrialised countries, for its fight against terrorism. "The G8 stands with Pakistan in its fight against terrorists and violent extremists," a statement by the G8 said.

June 30th, 2009 NEW DELHI/PRAGUE - India and the 27-nation European Union (EU) are set to expand their strategic partnership by focusing on areas ranging from global financial crisis, UN reforms and trade to energy, climate change and terrorism at their next summit in New Delhi Nov 6. Swedish Ambassador to India Lars-Olof Lindgren struck an upbeat note for India-EU partnership in the days to come.

June 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A group of Indian parliamentarians representing various parties Saturday begin the third edition of India-Yale Parliamentary Leadership Programme focusing on global political-economic affairs and the challenges of leadership. Among the 2009 participants of the programme at the prestigious Yale University are Abhishek Manu Singhvi, national spokesperson of the Congress party, Prakash Javadekar, the official spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and six newly elected members of the Lok Sabha.

June 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Global economic recovery was closely linked to the success of the economies of the four BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday before leaving for the Russian city of Yekaterinburg to attend a summit of the grouping. Stressing that the four countries would play a crucial part in overcoming the ongoing economic slowdown, the prime minister said: The countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) together account for 40 percent of the world's population and 40 percent of global GDP.

January 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Reaffirming support for India in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has sent Republic Day greetings to President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and expressed his desire to take bilateral ties to a new level. Sarkozy also invited Manmohan Singh, who is recovering from a heart bypass surgery, to visit Paris before the G20 summit in London so that the two countries can hone common approaches on issues like global financial crisis that will be at the heart of multilateral negotiations this year.

January 20th, 2009 BRUSSELS - The European Commission, executive body of the European Union (EU), President Jose Manuel Barroso has urged US President Barack Obama and European leaders to deepen their transatlantic ties at a time of 'great challenges'. 'The US and the EU should acknowledge their interdependence and the need for openness, while working closely together to shape multilateral responses to global challenges, from the financial and economic crises to peace and security, including in the Middle East, development challenges, and of course the defining struggle of our generation: to stop and reverse climate change,' Barroso said in a statement marking Obama's inauguration.

December 31st, 2008 LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Thursday warned of the 'enormous economic challenge' ahead in 2009 and vowed to replace the 'unbridled free market dogma' with a better economic philosophy. 'I want 2009 to be the year when the dawn of a new progressive era breaks across the world,' Brown said in his New Year message.