Obama says he has no interest in running auto companies but government has a role to play

August 27th, 2009 Auto parts suppliers ask Obama for more helpWASHINGTON — An auto parts industry association is asking President Barack Obama to consider new ways to help the industry, which is facing a spike in bankruptcies due to the woes of U.S. automakers. In a letter to the White House Wednesday, the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association wrote that there was "insufficient capital" available for parts suppliers to rehire workers and acquire raw materials for a possible increase in vehicle production later this year.

June 23rd, 2009 Obama wants new council to help auto industryPERRYSBURG, Ohio — A new government council will help workers tied to the auto industry transition to new manufacturing opportunities, including jobs in alternative energy, Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday. Biden toured the northwestern Ohio headquarters of the Willard & Kelsey Solar Group, which plans to begin large-scale production this year of solar panels.

June 16th, 2009 Administration rejects auto supplier aid requestWASHINGTON — The Obama administration has turned down a request by auto suppliers for up to $10 billion in additional federal aid to help the parts companies deal with the bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler. The Treasury Department said in a statement Tuesday that an existing $5 billion support program for auto parts suppliers was playing an important role in stabilizing the nation's auto supply base.

June 8th, 2009 Senate panel to question Obama auto task forceWASHINGTON — A Senate committee plans to question two members of the White House's auto task force about using taxpayer money to restructure General Motors and Chrysler. The Senate Banking Committee will hear from Ron Bloom, a senior adviser to the auto task force, and Edward Montgomery, who serves as the Obama administration's director of recovery for auto communities and workers.

May 16th, 2009 SRINAGAR - National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, who is heading for victory in the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, said Saturday that he would be 'happy' to take up any role in the UPA government. 'I will be happy to play whatever role the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government wants me to play,' Abdullah told a news channel.

May 11th, 2009 KOLKATA - The Left will join a government in which it can play a 'meaningful role', Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here Monday. 'If an alternate government is formed according to an unified agenda, there is a change in the country's internal, economic and foreign policies, and we can play a meaningful role to achieve that, we will join that government,' Bhattacharjee told reporters at a meet-the-press programme here.

May 3rd, 2009 Obama: Wall Street will play less dominant roleWASHINGTON — Wall Street is not going to play as dominant a role in the economy as regulations reduce "some of the massive leveraging and the massive risk-taking that had become so common," President Barack Obama says. The changes in the role of Wall Street and the huge profits that came from that risk-taking could mean other adjustments as well, Obama said in an interview in this week's New York Times Magazine.

April 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has said that he does not want to run American auto companies, which are presently experiencing a major crisis. "I don't want to run auto companies, and I don't want to run banks.

April 30th, 2009 Obama turning attention to struggling automakersWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama was poised Thursday to update the nation about the struggling U.S. auto industry amid indications Chrysler plans to file for bankruptcy protection.

April 29th, 2009 Will GM become 'Government Motors'?WASHINGTON — If the government takes a majority stake in General Motors, will it end up taking the wheel, too? Under a restructuring plan put forth this week by GM, the ailing automaker would give majority ownership to the federal government to stave off bankruptcy. That handoff would amount to an extraordinary partial nationalization of the maker of Buicks, Cadillacs and Chevys that has been an independent company since 1908.

March 31st, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has clarified that his administration has "no intention" of running General Motors, even as the White House forced the automaker's CEO to resign, and demanded it to come out with a "better business plan" so that the government can think of rescuing the company. "Let me be clear.

March 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The auto sector has no scope for any further price reduction, according to TVS Motor chairman and managing director Venu Srinivasan, the newly-elected president of industry group Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). 'The auto sector is among the worst-hit sectors and the higher interest rate has further hit the profit margins of auto companies,' Srinivasan told reporters after taking over as CII chief Tuesday.

March 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has told an online crowd that legalizing marijuana won't do any good to the sinking American economy. Obama was drawn into the debate over legalizing pot when the cannabis crowd flooded the first-ever Internet-based presidential Town Hall meeting.

February 24th, 2009 ANKARA - Iran has asked Turkey to play a role in bringing Tehran and Washington together to discuss mutual concerns, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday night. 'We have said this before: we are ready.

January 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With Barack Obama taking over as the US President Tuesday, a leading industry lobby has identified five areas that it hopes the new leadership will address to deepen India-US synergy. The wish list prepared by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) includes support to the nuclear deal signed between the two nations, and enhanced role of Indian companies in America's healthcare and software sector.