Indian paddlers enjoyed a rich haul of 10 medals, including four gold, at the 2026 WTT Star Youth Contender and Feeder events in Doha, highlighted by Ahona Roy's top-podium finish in the fiercely contested Under-15 girls' category.
The two-day World Blitz Championship in both the Open and Women's categories commences in Doha, on Monday, December 29.
"We are very much engaged in trying to pursue a ambitious agreement for the Doha Round. We're engaged bilaterally with major trading partners. We're engaged in the multilateral process in Geneva. We're engaged plural laterally with various groupings of countries," US Deputy National Security Advisor Mike Froman
"... An early conclusion of Doha Round is important; India is willing to take part in negotiations at the WTO provided the core concerns of the Round, namely development concerns of developing nations are addressed," commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma told Rajya Sabha.
It is only through a trade-opening global pact that issues like distorting subsidies or generating market access can be addressed, the WTO chief emphasised.
India and the US on Wednesday expressed the hope for an early resumption of the Doha round of negotiations and agreed to make all efforts to achieve an ambitious, balanced, and pro-development outcome.
The Doha negotiations has been virtually stalled since July 2008.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has announced a significantly relaxed dress code for next month's World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha, "allowing classic non-distressed jeans for both men and women", a year after the 'jeansgate' storm involving Magnus Carlsen at the same event.
India, Brazil and other developing countries have been asking rich nations like the US and European Union to cut farm subsidies, while resisting the pressure mounted the developed nations for reducing industrial tariffs. The Doha Round is running way behind schedule as the rich and poor nations have failed to reach a consensus on the controversial issues.
The country feels that the talks are necessary to revive the global economy.
The Director General of World Trade Organisation, Pascal Lamy, today urged to speed up the negotiations on the Doha Round as the Trade Promotion Authority in United States is expiring in June.
The Doha round of global trade talks is facing a slow death and if trade negotiators from all the 153 member countries fail to reach a deal by the end of this year, the consequences can be disastrous for the multilateral trading system, says Jean-Pierre Lehmann, professor of International Political Economy.
The need of the hour is a rule-based multilateral trading regime, which takes on board developmental aspirations of the poor countries and at the same time ensures better access for all. "That is what we shall be striving for," said Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma. He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has made commitments that the Doha trade talks, the latest round of which was stalled in July 2008, be concluded successfully.
Suruchi Singh and Samrat Rana scored 479.6 -- a new World and Asian junior record -- but Uzbekistan clinched gold with a world-record 481.3 at in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the Asian Championship.
The country could be a major beneficiary from greater market access in services unlike other developing nations, said the working paper authored by H A C Prasad, senior economic advisor in the ministry. India is Asia's third largest economy with a size of nearly $1 trillion. Services contribute about 61 per cent of GDP and the sector is growing at double-digit rates.
Although Indian team is in full strength at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, officials back home are apprehensive of any concrete developments in absence of 'right signals' from Washington.
India said on Wednesday developed countries were still not willing to fulfil their commitments under the World Trade Organization agreements and warned this could put the entire global trade at risk.
Reigning classical World champion D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and world No.1 Magnus Carlsen were among the leaders after the first five rounds on the opening day of the FIDE World Rapid Championships in Doha on Thursday.
WTO summit will see whether decade-long negotiations would go forward or be brought to an end.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi for winning a bronze medal at the World Blitz Championships in Doha, saying it mirrored the country's rapid strides in the sport.
Young Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin emerged champion at the Tata Steel Chess India tournament on Friday, clinching the Rapid title just a day after the passing of his maternal grandfather, who had introduced him to the sport.
World Blitz: Erigaisi stuns Carlsen, Abdusattorov to emerge joint leader after 11 rounds
Trade ministers of the Group of Six (G-6) countries resolved on Thursday to conclude the six-year-old Doha Round of trade talks by the end of the year.
India is most open to dialogue on the Doha round and trade negotiations among all major emerging markets, a top Obama Administration official has told the US lawmakers.
Tata Steel Chess: Anand, Niemann in joint lead after three rounds of Rapid
Reigning champion Koneru Humpy displayed her trademark composure and tenacity to remain in joint lead in the women's section.
Arjun Erigaisi is only the second Indian male player after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to win a World Blitz medal in the 'Open category'.
Humpy settles for bronze after coming close to World Rapid title; Erigaisi finishes third
Kerala teenager Krishna Goutham shares the lead with World No 1 Magnus Carlsen, top Indian exponent Arjun Erigaisi, and Vladislav Artemiev.
Magnus Carlsen pushed away a camera after losing to Vladislav Artemiev at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Qatar.
In the qualification round 21-year-old Simranpreet, who had won a silver at the World Cup in Lima earlier this year, shot 585, while Esha tallied 585 to finish fifth and fourth respectively and make the final.
The Army pair of Lakshita Bishnoi and Sharvan Kumar produced a commanding performance to overcome the challenge of Haryana's Suruchi Singh and Samrat Rana and clinch the 10m Air Pistol mixed team gold in the National Shooting Championships, in Delhi, on Saturday.
Talented shooter Suruchi Singh came up with yet another commanding performance to clinch the women's 10m air pistol gold in the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha.
Oscar Piastri led McLaren teammate and Formula One title rival Lando Norris at the top of the timesheets in sole practice for the Qatar Grand Prix on Friday.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Islamabad will enter into an 'open war' with Kabul if the ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail, TOLO News reported.
The country also mounted bids on some high-profile continental and global events, including the 2031 World Athletics Championships with Ahmedabad as the proposed venue.
From Royal Challengers Bengaluru's historic first IPL title to star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finally breaking the iconic 90-meter mark to India women winning their first cricket World Cup, this was the year of long-awaited victories and record-breaking feats.
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