Brussels - The European Union was doing all it could to combat its worst recession in 60 years, the bloc's leaders said as they met in Brussels to discuss the global economy and reforms of the international financial markets.

"All member states have adopted important stimulus programmes," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is seen as one of the strongest opponents to any further increases in the bloc's 400-billion-euro (540-billion-dollar) economic recovery package.

Brussels - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday threatened to scupper plans to use European Union funds to stimulate the economy, insisting the money should only be used to finance projects capable of delivering immediate results.

"Any additional measures should only be taken if a substantial part of these measures can be implemented very quickly. Otherwise, they would not help tackle the crisis," Merkel said as she arrived for an EU summit in Brussels.

Nairobi/Mogadishu - The African Union's special representative for Somalia Nicolas Bwakira on Thursday condemned a roadside bomb attack that killed an AU peacekeeper in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

Two bombs exploded near Mogadishu airport on Wednesday, killing one peacekeeper and injuring another three.

Bwakira said that the attack, which he blamed on main insurgent group al-Shabaab, would not "derail" the AU's role in Somalia.

Amman - South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo on Thursday conducted separate talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Nader Dahabi on latest political developments in the region and means of boosting bilateral ties particularly in the business sphere, an official statement said.

"There is an opportunity for developing a long-term strategic relationship between Jordan and Korea," a royal court statement quoted the monarch as telling the visiting South Korean premier.

New Delhi, Mar 19: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief Leon Panetta met Home Minister P Chidambaram and discussed the security situation in South Asia.

According to sources, issues like impact of the global economic crisis on the internal security of the countries and growing militancy in the subcontinent were discussed during the meeting.

The two sides expressed satisfaction about the close cooperation between India and the US during the Mumbai terror attacks, sources said.

Gaza City/Cairo - Hamas said Wednesday that Palestinian factions agreed in Cairo on forming a transitional unity government which would prepare for new elections by early next year, but the sides were still disputing the government's platform.

Fawzi Barhoum, a senior leader of the radical Islamist movement ruling the Gaza Strip, said in a written statement sent to journalists from Cairo that the parties agreed on the nature of the government, which will be a transitional one that is to prepare for new elections on a date no later than January 25, 2010.