Barroso: EU must continue helping poor countries, says recession no excuse for cutting aid

September 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The UN Millennium Campaign has just released figures which show that unless rich countries marshal additional resources at the ongoing G20 summit, they are likely to deliver $33 billion less aid than promised to the poor countries which are hardest hit by the global economic crisis. At the same time, packages intended to help poor countries address the crisis might drive them deeper into debt, a spokesperson of the campaign said over e-mail.

September 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The world economy is beginning to turn around after its first recession in decades, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Thursday. IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said poor countries have done a better job than expected of weathering the global economic storm, but will still need massive aid to curb its worst effects.

September 16th, 2009 Barroso wins 2nd European Commission termSTRASBOURG, France — The European Parliament gave Jose Manuel Barroso another five-year term as European Commission president Wednesday, but its vote reflected lingering misgivings about the conservative ex-Portuguese premier. In his second mandate as the powerful executive who drafts EU-wide legislation and ensures governments obey it, Barroso promised to respond to the global economic crisis by pushing for changes in the financial sector and its "unethical bonuses" and helping to steer Europe out of its recession.

September 16th, 2009 EU backs Barroso for another stint as EU chiefSTRASBOURG, France — The European Parliament has agreed to give Jose Manuel Barroso another five-year term as European Commission President. The EU assembly voted 382 to 219, with 117 abstentions, in backing the conservative Portuguese ex-premier for a second term at the EU's executive office.

September 15th, 2009 EU's chief Barroso known as a survivorBRUSSELS — The work hours are long, the criticism often withering, and the job comes with 27 bosses, many of whom don't speak your native language. Little wonder that the campaign to become the next European Commission president has only attracted one candidate.

September 15th, 2009 Barroso likely to get 2nd European Commission termSTRASBOURG, France — Jose Manuel Barroso will likely be reappointed European Commission president for a second five-year term when lawmakers hold a vote Wednesday, after leaders backed him as the best person to help steer the EU out of recession. Under EU rules, the bloc's 27 government leaders pick a new president for the European Commission, the powerful executive that drafts EU-wide legislation and ensures governments obey them.

August 31st, 2009 UNICEF: Global recession will kill African kidsJOHANNESBURG — The global recession will increase infant and child deaths and cause more students to drop out of school in Africa, the U.N. children's agency predicted Monday, as the financial crisis delivers a delayed blow to the continent and is expected to linger longer.

July 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - The World Bank Wednesday said it spent a record $58.8 billion on loans, grants, guarantees and social projects over the last year to help poor countries steer through a dramatic global recession. The development bank said its budget jumped 54 percent between July 2008 and June 30 from a year earlier and is now at the highest level in its 60-year history.

June 26th, 2009 EU: we want US climate bill to succeedBRUSSELS — The Europe Union wants a U.S. climate change bill to succeed so the United States can move swiftly to curb greenhouse gas emissions, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Friday.

June 22nd, 2009 WASHINGTON/SEOUL - Most developing economies will slip into recession this year amid a global financial crisis that has prompted wealthy investors to pull their money out of projects for the poor, the World Bank warned Monday. The developing world will grow 1.2 percent this year after growing 5.9 percent in 2008.

June 19th, 2009 EU warns of new gas supply crisisBRUSSELS — European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso warned EU countries Friday to prepare for another natural gas supply crisis if Ukraine can't pay for gas imports from Russia. Russia sends the gas it sells Europe through pipelines that cross Ukraine and has cut off all supplies — including gas intended to heat European homes and fuel power plants — in previous disputes with Kiev.

June 9th, 2009 BRUSSELS - The head of the European Union's executive Tuesday formally confirmed that he wants to hold onto his job for another five years. "The President of the European Council (of EU member states) has today asked me if he can put forward my name for a second mandate...

May 16th, 2009 BRUSSELS - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroro Saturday congratulated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the landslide victory of their party in the general elections. Barroso said in a statement that the victory 'acknowledged the achievements of the first United Progressive Alliance government under the leadership of PM Singh'.

April 26th, 2009 World Bank: Nations should speed aid to poorWASHINGTON — The World Bank on Sunday urged donor nations to speed up delivery of the money they've already pledged — and to give even more — to help poor countries weather the steep global recession. The bank said developing countries face especially serious consequences as the financial and economic crisis turns into what it described as a "human and development calamity." In a communique, the World Bank's policy steering committee said the crisis has already driven more than 50 million people into extreme poverty, particularly women and children.

January 26th, 2009 BRUSSELS - Ukraine has assured the European Union (EU) that the recently signed agreement on natural gas transits from Russia to Europe through its territory will be fully implemented, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said Tuesday. After a meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko in Brussels, Barroso said the Ukrainian leader had assured him that Kiev would stick to the gas deal even though he is not fully content with the agreement.