New Delhi, Nov. 5 : The Indian Government on Wednesday congratulated Barack Obama on his victory in the 2008 US Presidential Elections, and hoped that relations between the two countries would continue to improve under the new Democratic administration.

Brussels- The European Union should re-open talks on a strategic deal with Russia which it froze following Russia's invasion of Georgia as soon as possible, the bloc's executive said Wednesday.

"It is the view of the (European) Commission that the next negotiating sessions should be scheduled now," a report from the Brussels-based body on the EU's relationship with Russia said.

London - Barack Obama's "astonishing victory" in the US presidential elections wil

Berlin - The US presidential election might have been decided but the race is now on for early invitations to Barack Obama's White House.

With Germans enthusiastically joining in the global celebrations of the 47-year-old Illinois senator's sweeping victory, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier are both likely to hope they are top of the list for talks with the new US president.

Madrid - Spain is likely to reject an application for political asylum lodged by Omar bin Laden, one of the 19 children of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the daily El Pais reported Wednesday.

Omar bin Laden, 27, requested asylum at Madrid airport on Monday.

His plane made a stopover in Madrid while flying from Cairo to Casablanca in Morocco.

Bin Laden argued that he did not feel safe in Saudi Arabia, which he is a citizen of, or in Egypt, where he lives, or in any other Arab country.

Brussels  - Serbia could become a candidate for European Union membership in 2009 if it proves that it is doing its best to catch war-crimes suspects, the EU's executive said Wednesday.