G8 summit opens in Italian earthquake-hit town

July 11th, 2009 LONDON - French First lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy gave glimpse of her philanthropist side as she pledged a personal donation of a whopping 43,000 pounds to a hospital treating survivors of earthquake- ravaged town of L'Aquila. The former model-singer visited the earthquake-hit region a day after the wives of other leaders participating in the Group of Eight summit (G8) did, reports The Daily Express.

July 10th, 2009 L'AQUILA - While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been busy with back-to-back meetings of the G8-G5 summit and bilaterals with heads of other countries in this quake-hit town of central Italy, his wife Gursharan Kaur had her own engagements that included an audience with the Pope. Kaur was taken with wives of other top leaders by Italian authorities to have a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in Rome, about 100 km from here.

July 9th, 2009 L'AQUILA - The Italian media seems to be enjoying the "eccentricities" of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. There has been talk in the media that Gaddafi, who is coming for one of the meetings at the G8-G5 summit, will sleep in his luxury tent in Coppito near here.

July 9th, 2009 L'AQUILA - Ground security for the G8-G5 summit in this town and its surrounding areas has been put on top priority with the Italian government hosting 27 heads of states. Nearly 10,000 security personnel have been assigned around Coppito, the main venue of the summit.

July 8th, 2009 L'AQUILA - Three tremors shook this mountain town Wednesday as top world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who have gathered here for the G8+G5 summit, were briefed on emergency evacuation plans. Helicopters have been put on standby to move the leaders to Rome, over 100 km away, in case of an emergency.

July 8th, 2009 Obama attending G-8 summit in ItalyROME — President Barack Obama is flying from Russia to Italy today for the G-8 summit of leading industrial nations. Agenda items include global warming, trade, Iran's nuclear ambitions and food security.

July 8th, 2009 L'AQUILA - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will hold a bilateral meeting with his British counterpart Gordon Brown in this earthquake-hit Italian mountain town Wednesday afternoon on the sidelines of the G8-G5 summit starting here. The two leaders are likely to discuss issues of mutual cooperation between both sides, including terrorism and the financial meltdown, officials said here.

July 8th, 2009 ROME - Leaders of the world's wealthiest and most industrialised countries are being briefed about emergency evacuation plans by Italian authorities as the earthquake-hit town of L'Aquila plays host to G8 and G5 leaders during the three-day (July 8-10) summit here. World leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, arriving here are being briefed on evacuation plans, with 12 helicopters on standby to move them to Rome, in case of an emergency, from the mountain town over 100 km away.

July 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left for Italy Tuesday to participate in the G8-G5 summit to be held in the earthquake-hit mountain town of L'Aquila, 100 km northeast of Rome. The prime minister will be attending outreach meetings of the G8, the world's most wealthy and industrialised countries, and G5, the major emerging economies in the world, during his four-day trip.

July 7th, 2009 ROME - Ahead of a meeting between their foreign secretaries, India Tuesday said it will judge Pakistan by the action it takes against perpetrators of last year's Mumbai terrorist attack. Official sources said Pakistan's commitment to fighting terrorism will be seen in the light of what action it takes against terrorists targeting India.

July 7th, 2009 ROME - India Tuesday said its ties with the US were "progressing well". "India-US relations are progressing well.

July 7th, 2009 ROME - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here Tuesday evening to participate in the G8-G5 summit being held in the earthquake-hit town of L'Aquila, about 100 km northeast of the Italian capital. The prime minister, accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur, was flown to L'Aquila town from the airport here in a helicopter.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With the national budget presented in parliament Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be heading for the Italian mountain town of L'Aquila Tuesday to join discussions with leaders of the world's most powerful and industrialized nations at their annual G-8 summit. The town was devastated by an earthquake just three months ago.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With the national budget being presented in parliament Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be heading for the Italian mountain town of L'Aquila Tuesday to take part in discussions with leaders of the world's most powerful and industrialized nations who meet for their annual G-8 summit. The town was devastated by an earthquake just three months ago.

April 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said the US was ready to help the more than 200 victims of a devastating earthquake in the heart of Italy and offered his condolences in a telephone call Tuesday with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The Italian people and victims 'are in the thoughts and prayers of the American people at this time,' Obama told his Italian counterpart, according to the White House.