Obama warns against protectionism, trade barriers (Repeating for all needing)

WASHINGTON - Cautioning against protectionism and trade barriers that ‘hurt us all in the end’, US President Barack Obama has said a pledge taken by the Group of 20 major economies to avoid such measures and other actions were necessary pieces to the economic ‘recovery puzzle’.

Obama cautions against erecting trade, protectionism barriers

WASHINGTON - President Barack Tuesday cautioned against raising trade and protectionism barriers that ‘hurt us all in the end’, saying a pledge to avoid such measures and other actions taken by Group of 20 major economies were necessary pieces to the economic ‘recovery puzzle’.

Unite to fight terrorism stalking Manhattan to Mumbai: Obama

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama Saturday asked nations around the world to come together to solve global problems like a recession, climate change, nuclear proliferation and international terrorism that has claimed innocent lives ‘from Manhattan to Mumbai’.

BJP launches ‘referendum’ on black money in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday launched a two-day ‘referendum’ in Gujarat, soliciting voters’ views on bringing back the black money of Indians stashed in tax havens abroad.

No talks with Pakistan, no pressure on restarting talks: PM

NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday denied any US pressure on India to restart talks with Pakistan and made it clear that the stalled composite dialogue will not resume unless Islamabad shows ’sincere evidence’ to prosecute all the pepetrators of the Mumbai carnage.

Brit Prime Minister’s wife rents designer clothes for big occasions

LONDON - Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister, has turned to renting designer clothes to wear at official engagements, it has emerged.

Advani files nomination, raises black money issue

GANDHINAGAR - The Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial aspirant L.K. Advani Wednesday filed his nomination for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat and promised that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), if voted to power, would strive to bring back black money stashed in tax havens abroad.

Obama leaves Iraq after brief visit

BAGHDAD - US President Barack Obama left Baghdad after a brief, previously unannounced visit to Baghdad late Tuesday evening.

Manmohan Singh won friends abroad, but can he influence people at home?

NEW DELHI - Fresh from earning plaudits from global leaders, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has plunged into a taxing election campaign that will test if his political acumen matches his economic insights that were much sought after and acted upon at last week’s G20 summit in London.

Hyderabad sitting on a powder keg, claims Modi

HYDERABAD - Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Monday said Hyderabad and its twin city Secunderabad were sitting on a powder keg and that terrorists more dangerous than those in Kashmir reside here.

Markets slip, but still in green

MUMBAI - The Indian equities markets were trading in the green Monday, with a key index ruling about 1.43 percent higher than its previous close around noon after soaring more than 2.7 percent on opening.

Miffed Italian PM Berlusconi threatens news blackout

ROME - A furious Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has threatened to take action against journalists for reporting his latest gaffes, involving British Queen Elizabeth II and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

G20 success gives Brown huge boost in polls

LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown a huge boost in the polls due to the success of the G20 summit and President Barack Obama’s visit.

India to seek $5.2 bn more from World Bank

LONDON - Assured of a greater say in the affairs of multilateral lending institutions, India will seek additional assistance of $5.2 billion from the World Bank for its financial sector and infrastructure projects, officials said. India normally gets assistance worth $3 billion from the World Bank annually.

Obama’s ‘Dreams From My Father’ triumphs at British Book Awards

LONDON - US President Barack Obama has scooped the Galaxy British Book Award for his autobiography ‘Dreams From My Father’.

India to seek $5.2 bn from World Bank

LONDON - Assured a greater say into the affairs of multilateral lending institutions, India will seek additional assistance of $5.2 billion from the World Bank for its financial sector and infrastructure projects, officials said.

China, US reach an agreement to resume military exchanges

NEW DELHI - China and the United States will resume military exchanges that were suspended last November.

Obama tells J. K. Rowling he is Harry Potter fan

LONDON - US President Barack Obama has revealed that he is a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, and even told its author J K Rowling about it.

Oz PM apologises for making stewardess cry over in flight meal

MELBOURNE - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has apologised for behaving badly to a RAAF female flight attendant when he did not get the food he wanted on a VIP flight from Port Moresby to Canberra earlier this year.

US House, Senate approve 2010 budget outline

WASHINGTON - US lawmakers Thursday approved a $3.5-trillion budget outline for 2010 that closely mirrors President Barack Obama’s priorities for the country.

India, US to counter terror together: Manmohan Singh

LONDON - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama Thursday held their first bilateral talks and agreed to intensify strategic partnership in all areas, including fighting terrorism.

China deserves more say in IMF, says Brown

LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Thursday that China deserves the right to demand more say and representation in the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

India got most of what it wanted at G20 summit

LONDON - The following are the key points of the declaration issued by G20 leaders here Thursday that suggest India, represented by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, got most of what it wanted from the crucial summit:

G20 leaders pledge $1 trillion to kick start global economy

LONDON - World leaders Thursday agreed to pledge $1 trillion more to the International Monetary Fund and other institutions to tide over the worst financial crises in six decades, bringing with it the promise of a greater role for emerging economies like India in the running of the global financial system.

PM should use G20 to put pressure on Pakistan: Rajnath Singh

BHUBANESWAR - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should take the help of the international community at the ongoing G20 summit to put pressure on Pakistan to dismantle the terror infrastructure on its soil, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Rajnath Singh said Thursday.

India’s support crucial to counter Islamist militancy: US think tank

WASHINGTON - As the US seeks India’s crucial support in countering the threat of Islamist militancy, a leading US think tank says the Manmohan Singh-Obama meeting would demonstrate the US resolve to enhancing ties with New Delhi.

Manmohan Singh had a ‘powerful presence’ at G20: Lord Mandelson

LONDON - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a quiet but ‘powerful’ presence at the Group of 20 (G20) summit of world leaders Thursday, British Secretary of State for Business Lord Peter Mandelson said.

Incomplete G20 summit ‘family photo’ causes smirk

LONDON - The traditional ‘family photo’ of world leaders at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in London had to be retaken after it was found that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was missing from the original line-up.

Obama walks up to Manmohan, have first their chat

LONDON - US President Barack Obama walked up to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the reception hosted by British Premier Gordon Brown and officials said the two leaders talks animatedly for close to ten minutes.

Bulls prop markets, Sensex shoot up 455 points

MUMBAI - Bulls had a field day at the Indian equities markets Thursday buying stocks across key sectors such as realty, metal, capital goods and energy.