BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentine President Mauricio Macri s favored candidate is gaining ground against former populist leader Cristina Fernandez in a closely watched Senate race in the country s largest province of Buenos Aires, sources from both parties and two analysts said. Macri s former Education Minister Esteban Bullrich of his  Let s Change coalition appears to have reversed the trend since last month when Fernandez narrowly beat him by 0.08 percentage points in a nonbinding primary vote. While a second-place finish would still guarantee Fernandez a Senate seat, the number of votes she gets is being closely watched by investors who see the Oct. 22 vote as a gauge of her potential to stage a comeback in the 2019 presidential election. Analyst Ricardo Rouvier has not finished his latest poll but estimated that Bullrich was leading Fernandez by about 3 percentage points in Buenos Aires province, home to nearly 40 percent of Argentine voters.  Cristina has a large number of votes, but she is stuck there, she has a ceiling,  he said in an interview. Fernandez s 2007 to 2015 presidency saw Latin America s No. 3 economy cut off from international capital markets and several companies nationalized. Fernandez was indicted for corruption last year, though she dismisses the charges as politically motivated. A seat in Congress would give her immunity from arrest though not from trial.   We have registered our growth in the polls,  said a high-level government source who asked not to be identified. Citizen s Unity, the party Fernandez founded before launching her candidacy in June, confirmed the trend but said Bullrich had a smaller lead.   What we have is an advantage of half a percentage point (for Bullrich); we have a tied election again,  said a campaign spokesman who declined to be named. A representative for another Argentine pollster, who asked not to be identified because the firm is currently only surveying for private clients, said Bullrich has a four percentage point lead over Fernandez.  The polarized show-down between Fernandez, who says Macri s economic austerity has hurt the provincial poor, and Bullrich has largely left out other parties and moderate candidates. Fernandez broke with Peronism, Argentina  best-known political movement, for the election and her former Transportation Minister Florencio Randazzo attracted few votes in the primary.  Sergio Massa, a presidential candidate in the 2015 election against Macri, finished a distant third behind Fernandez. Seeking to unify the opposition against Bullrich, Fernandez on Monday published a letter on Facebook asking for the support of those who did not vote for her.   We hope that the Peronist voters who accompanied proposals such as Randazzo or Massa join this majority,  said Jorge Taiana, Fernandez s former foreign minister and senate candidate, in an interview. The Citizen s Unity spokesman said the party is in talks with Peronist mayors who support Randazzo to try to convince them to back Fernandez. Four have switched over and the party has high hopes for three more, he said.  No matter how many seats his coalition picks up in October - when Argentines elect one-third of the Senate and half the lower house of Congress - Macri will still lack a majority and will need to negotiate tax and other reforms he hopes to pass in the second half of his term.

Summary: मैक्री के सहयोगी ने अर्जेंटीना सीनेट चुनाव में फर्नांडीस के खिलाफ जीत हासिल की


DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland will conduct a complete review of U.S. customs pre-clearance arrangements at its airports following the concern caused by President Donald Trump’s curbs on immigration, the government said on Monday. Ireland’s Dublin and Shannon airports are among a handful of locations outside North America where passengers can clear customs and immigration before traveling to the United States under an international agreement between the two governments.  Pre-clearance duties are carried out by U.S. officials who have been carrying out the four-month hold Trump put on allowing refugees into the United States and temporary barring of travelers from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Sudan, the U.S. Embassy in Dublin said. “I have asked for a complete review of the pre-clearance facilities here in Ireland. I would say that pre-clearance has been of enormous convenience, so these are issues that we are happy to negotiate upon,” Prime Minister Enda Kenny told a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. In a statement, the government added that “there is obviously concern” about the change in the U.S. immigration rules introduced by the new administration, and that Dublin had contacted the U.S. government about the matter. The Irish government wants to convene a meeting as soon as possible to discuss the recent developments, the statement said. There has so far been one case where a person was refused pre-clearance to the United States at either airport, a spokesman for the department of transport said. Kenny also said that he intended to accept the annual St. Patrick’s Day invitation of the Irish Prime Minister to meet the U.S. president in the White House despite disagreeing with Trump’s immigration policies. Like May, who has faced calls to cancel an invitation for a state visit to Trump, some members of parliament have said Kenny should not visit the White House and almost 35,000 people signed an online petition saying that if he did meet Trump on the Irish national holiday, he would not do so in their names.  “I intend to accept the invitation ... I think it is really important to say face to face with the president the issues that are really important to us. We have had great influence in the U.S. over the years. We still have that influence and we intend to use it,” Kenny said. “In respect to the policies introduced by the American government, I disagree with it. Obviously I will say that to the president and the vice president when I meet with them.”

Summary: आयरलैंड के हवाई अड्डों पर अमेरिकी सीमा शुल्क पूर्व-मंजूरी की समीक्षा करेगा आयरलैंड


BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania s ruling Social Democrats endorsed on Thursday a government reshuffle proposed by Prime Minister Mihai Tudose in a move that could strengthen his position within the party and  lend his cabinet credibility within the European Union. Three ministers will resign, party senior members said, including Deputy Prime Minister Sevil Shhaideh, a close ally of party leader Liviu Dragnea, who holds a tight grip over party ranks but cannot be prime minister because of a previous conviction in a vote rigging case. Earlier this week, Tudose said that corruption allegations surrounding Shhaideh and European Funds Minister Rovana Plumb had created problems for his government with the European Commission. Both will resign, as will Transport Minister Razvan Cuc. The party will decide their replacements on Friday. Transparency International ranks Romania among the European Union s most corrupt states and Brussels is keeping its justice system under special monitoring.  We have a reality and a perception,  Tudose told reporters on Wednesday.  The reality is the presumption of innocence, but the perception in Brussels is completely different.  On Thursday, Tudose said he hoped Shhaideh would choose to stay in public administration in a different position. Some analysts have said Tudose was using the corruption allegations to gain more control over government decisions. The government is under pressure from the party to enforce an ambitious governing program that includes tax cuts, public sector wage and pension hikes, as well as a judicial overhaul that could threaten magistrates  independence that has raised concerns with the European Commission.    We communicated badly with each other,  Dragnea told reporters after a six-hour senior party meeting.  We cannot make that mistake again, put the party and the government at risk.   Anti-corruption prosecutors said in September they were investigating Shhaideh for suspected abuse of office in a land transfer case, and have asked parliament to approve an investigation into Plumb linked to the same case. Both have denied wrongdoing. The reshuffle comes a little over three months since the cabinet was sworn in after the ruling coalition toppled its first prime minister at end-June.  Tudose has said he was not afraid to resign, which would have automatically toppled the cabinet. Analysts said the Social Democrats accepted the reshuffle rather than risk going with a third prime minister proposal to centrist President Klaus Iohannis, a rival, who must approve premiers.  If this government were to fall as well, then I would certainly ask myself very seriously whether the PSD still has the capacity to govern,  Iohannis told reporters earlier on Thursday.  For now, we are not in this position.

Summary: रोमानिया की सत्तारूढ़ पार्टी ने सरकार में फेरबदल की योजना का समर्थन किया


SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea s President Moon Jae-in said on Wednesday he and Russian President Vladimir Putin shared an understanding that resolving the North Korea nuclear issue is a top priority for development in East Asia. Moon, making the comments at a joint media conference with Putin after a meeting in Russia, said the Russian president expressed his full support for South Korea s efforts to handle issues related to North Korea. Moon and Putin met on the sidelines of an Eastern Economic Forum in the Russian city of Vladivostok, that began on Wednesday.  (Story refiles to add dropped word  he  in headline.)

Summary: दक्षिण कोरिया के मून का कहना है कि उन्होंने और पुतिन ने उत्तर कोरिया पर समझ साझा की


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Gathering speed toward winning the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Clinton did not wait long after a streak of wins on Super Tuesday to gird for battle with Republican front-runner Donald Trump. The former first lady won 7 of 11 states up for grabs on Tuesday, sweeping the South and creating more distance between her and rival Bernie Sanders in the race to represent the Democratic Party at the Nov. 8 election for the White House. The wins, which include the heavily populated state of Texas, mean she can turn an eye toward billionaire reality TV star Trump, who also won heavily on Tuesday.  In another good sign for Clinton, her fundraisers say donors are eager to fund her campaign into the general election. “Hillary will be the nominee, and now she needs to start focusing on taking on Trump,” said Dane Strother, an unaligned Washington DC-based Democratic strategist.  On Tuesday night, Clinton took aim at Trump’s reputation for spewing insults at his opponents, and repeated an attack on the real estate mogul’s proposal to build a 1,000-mile wall along the border with Mexico. “The stakes in this election have never been higher and the rhetoric we’re hearing on the other side has never been lower,” she said during a rally in Miami after she won in several states.  “Trying to divide America between us and them is wrong.”     Clinton’s wins give her 527 delegates to the Democratic nominating convention, to Sanders’ 325, according to a New York Times delegate count early on Wednesday. A Democratic candidate needs 2,383 delegates to win. Jim Manley, a Washington-based Democratic strategist who supports Clinton, said her move to swiftly target Trump was necessary but potentially dangerous for her. “She has to start looking toward the general election, but it’s not without its risks,” he said. He said Trump would strike back: “He’ll go right in the gutter.” Trump has frequently criticized Clinton’s handling of crises like Iraq and Syria during her four years as secretary of state, and suggested he will dredge up old scandals involving former President Bill Clinton.          Some Clinton fundraisers said the campaign is noticing renewed interest among donors to support her beyond primary season. Her campaign, they add, appears more open to accepting that cash, an indication they believe she will win the nomination. “I think they are taking a shift towards the general (election),” said Tom Sacks-Wilner, a member of Clinton’s national finance committee. “The finance department’s not objecting to it at this point,” he said. Campaign donors are allowed to give $2,700 to an individual candidate for the primary phase of an election, and another $2,700 for the general phase, for a grand total of $5,400. Another Clinton fundraiser, in Los Angeles, said that he has had more donors in his area ask him about giving money for the fight beyond California, and he added that the recent victories also make it easier to bring in campaign volunteers. The upbeat attitude marks a shift from three weeks ago, when Clinton’s campaign was bruised by Sanders’ resounding win in New Hampshire, and a close second place finish in Iowa, where he carried a large proportion of the youth vote. The shift became more pronounced last week after Clinton’s victory in South Carolina, where she enjoyed broad support among African-American voters - a bloc Sanders has struggled to draw with his democratic socialist platform. Nationally, support for Clinton has increased since just before the Feb. 27 South Carolina primary. Nearly 53 percent of Democrats said they’d vote for Clinton, compared with 43 percent for the U.S. Senator from Vermont,  according to the Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll from Feb. 26 to March 1. They were in a dead heat earlier in the month. Sanders has also worked to position himself as a general election candidate against Trump. His campaign sent out a statement on Tuesday touting his $42.7 million fundraising haul in February.  “Donald Trump is going to have plenty of money to compete in November,” said Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ campaign manager. “It’s important that our nominee be able to raise the hundreds of millions of dollars necessary to defeat the Republicans in November.”     One group tied to the Democratic Party’s progressive wing said it would be wrong to write off Sanders regardless of Tuesday’s results - in part because he polls better in whiter northern states that come later in the election cycle. “Washington’s professional pundits were wrong when they claimed the fight for the Democratic nomination was over before Bernie Sanders got into the race, they’re wrong if they claim this fight is over now,” Charles Chamberlain, Democracy for America’s executive director, said in a statement.  (Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Alistair Bell) This article was funded in part by SAP. It was independently created by the Reuters editorial staff. SAP had no editorial involvement in its creation or production.

Summary: सुपर मंगलवार को गति पकड़ते हुए, क्लिंटन ने ट्रम्प पर निशाना साधा


FLORENCE, Italy (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May is setting out her plan for future ties with the European Union in a speech which she hopes will help spur negotiations over the country s divorce from the bloc. Below are the highlights from her speech and a follow-up question-and-answer session with reporters:  During the implementation period, people will continue to be able to come and live and work in the UK but there will be a registration system, an essential preparation for the new regime. As of today, these considerations point to an implementation period of around two years.       Clearly people, businesses and public services should only have to plan for one set of changes in the relationship between the UK and the EU. So during the implementation period, access to one another s markets should continue on current terms and Britain also should continue to take part in existing security measures. And I know businesses, in particular, would welcome the certainty this would provide.  MAY, ASKED WHETHER SHE STILL THINKS NO DEAL ON BREXIT WOULD BE BETTER THAN A BAD DEAL:  We continue to think that.   Of course we will leave at the end of March 2019 and negotiations will be continuing potentially up quite close to that time.       I do not want our partners to fear that they will need to pay more or receive less over the remainder of the current budget plan as a result of our decision to leave. The UK will honour commitments we have made during the period of our membership.  And, as we move forwards, we will also want to continue working together in ways that promote the long-term economic development of our continent. This includes continuing to take part in those specific policies and programmes which are greatly to the UK and the EU s joint advantage, such as those that promote science, education and culture - and those that promote our mutual security.   Over time ... the rights of EU citizens in the UK, and UK citizens overseas will diverge. And I want to incorporate our agreement fully into UK law, and make sure the UK courts can refer directly to it. And when there is uncertainty around underlying EU law, I want the UK courts to be able to take into account the judgements of the European Court of Justice with a view to ensuring consistent interpretation. And on this basis I hope our teams can reach firm agreement quickly.   Throughout its membership, the United Kingdom has never totally felt at home being in the European Union.  The profound pooling of sovereignty that is a crucial feature of the European Union permits unprecedentedly deep cooperation which brings benefits but it also means that when countries are in the minority they must sometimes accept decisions they do not want, even affecting domestic matters with no market implications beyond their borders.   The British people have decided to leave the EU and be a global free-trading nation able to chart our own way in the world. For many, this is an exciting time full of promise. For others it is a worrying one. I look ahead with optimism.   Our commitment to the defence and indeed the advance of our shared values is undimmed. Our determination to defend the stability, security and prosperity of our European neighbours and friends remains steadfast.

Summary: मुख्य बातेंः ब्रेक्सिट पर ब्रिटिश पीएम मे की मुख्य टिप्पणियां


UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States has circulated a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that would extend by two years the mandate of an international inquiry into chemical weapons attacks in Syria, after Russia vetoed an extension last week. The U.S. draft, which was seen by Reuters on Thursday, says Syria must not develop or produce chemical weapons, and it calls on all parties in Syria to provide full cooperation with the international probe. The investigation by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons - known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) - was unanimously created by the 15-member Security Council in 2015 and renewed in 2016 for another year. Its mandate is due to expire in mid-November. The JIM found that the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad was to blame for a chemical attack on the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhoun that killed dozens of people in April, according to a report sent to the Security Council on Oct. 26. Two days earlier, Russia vetoed a renewal of the JIM mandate after it was unsuccessful in getting the Security Council to postpone the vote. U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Russia wanted to discuss the Khan Sheikhoun report before the vote. Russia, whose air force and special forces have been supporting the Syrian army, says there is no evidence to show Damascus was responsible for the attack. It maintains that the chemicals that killed civilians belonged to rebels, not Assad’s government. [nL8N1N86I0] On Wednesday, the United States admonished Russia for its veto. [nL2N1N805Y] “Russia’s attempts to undermine and eliminate the JIM show a callous disregard for the suffering and loss of life caused by the use of chemical weapons and an utter lack of respect for international norms,” the White House said in a statement.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson by phone on Thursday it was unacceptable to politicize the work of chemical weapons inspectors in Syria, Russia’s foreign ministry said. [nL8N1MP0GI] A Russian draft resolution calls for a six-month extension of the inquiry, with the possibility of further extensions, and asks for investigators to collect environmental samples in connection with the Khan Sheikhoun probe, among other things. In their 14th report since 2011, U.N. investigators said in September they had documented 33 chemical weapons attacks to date. [nL8N1LN29P] Twenty-seven were by the Assad government, including seven between March 1 and July 7. Perpetrators had not been identified yet in six attacks, they said. The Assad government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons. It said its strikes in Khan Sheikhoun hit a weapons depot belonging to rebel forces, an assertion “excluded” by U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria Chairman Paulo Pinheiro. That attack led U.S. President Donald Trump to launch the first U.S. air strikes on a Syrian air base.

Summary: संयुक्त राष्ट्र प्रस्ताव का अमेरिकी मसौदा सीरिया की रासायनिक जांच के विस्तार की मांग करता है


HARARE (Reuters) - Several loud explosions echoed across central Harare in the early hours of Wednesday after troops deployed on the streets of the capital and seized the state broadcaster, prompting speculation of a coup, a Reuters witness said. The reason for the blasts was not immediately apparent.

Summary: जिम्बाब्वे की राजधानी में विस्फोट, तख्तापलट की अटकलें तेज


PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday it was  a fact  that the main opposition party would be dissolved as he spoke on the anniversary of the peace agreement that established multiparty democracy. More than 50 rights groups called on the countries that signed the Paris Peace Agreements in 1991 to reconvene urgently because of the threat to democracy in the Southeast Asian country. Hun Sen s government has asked the supreme court to dissolve the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) after its leader, Kem Sokha, was arrested on Sept. 3 and charged with treason. The court has yet to rule on whether the CNRP will be dissolved.  Because they didn t respect the Paris Peace Agreement, the political party will be dissolved in the future, this is a fact,  Hun Sen said at a ceremony marking the construction of a new bridge in Phnom Penh. Dissolving the party would eliminate the challenge to him prolonging more than 32 years in power in next year s election, but Western donors have criticized the move and called for the release of Kem Sokha. Hun Sen accused the United Nations of failing to bring peace despite organizing the first election in 1993 and said guerrilla fighting had only ended because of his own negotiations with leaders of the genocidal Khmer Rouge. Hun Sen s critics accuse him of trying to turn the country into a one-party state for the ruling Cambodian People s Party (CPP). On Sunday, he said any elected officials who defect from the CNRP to his party would be allowed to keep their positions once the opposition party is dissolved. In a joint open letter on Monday, more than 50 rights groups called for the Paris Conference on Cambodia to be reconvened.  There is an urgent need for decisive action from the international community, to ensure that the democratic vision for Cambodia outlined in the Paris Peace Agreements is not completely forsaken,  said the letter. Hun Sen said calls for the original signatories to be reconvened were  out of date and impossible . He noted that one of the signatories, the Soviet Union, no longer exists. In the face of the Western criticism since the arrest of Kem Sokha, China has given verbal support to Hun Sen s government. China is by far the biggest donor to Cambodia and its biggest investor. China s influential Global Times tabloid said in an editorial on Sunday that Cambodia s  growth trend should not be interrupted by the country s rising political tension .  As an important economic partner of Cambodia, China will pay close attention to the situation in the Southeast Asian country and willingly provide the necessary help,  it said.

Summary: कंबोडिया के प्रधानमंत्री का कहना है कि मुख्य विपक्षी दल को भंग कर दिया जाएगा


LUXEMBOURG/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Most European Union states agreed on Monday on reforming the bloc s labor rules that poorer countries value for giving them a competitive edge but French President Emmanuel Macron criticizes for undercutting his workers. The issue of the so-called posted workers pits wealthier countries against poorer peers keen to preserve current rules that allow their citizens to work elsewhere in the bloc for salaries higher than they would get at home but still lower than the local labor force. Macron has put reforming the so-called posting of workers directive high on the EU s agenda and is backed by Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, among others. After some 12 hours of negotiations among labor ministers in Luxembourg, most of the EU s 28 members backed a compromise that would cap posting workers abroad at 18 months and introduce a four-year transition between reaching a final agreement on the reform and its taking effect. Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland said they could not back the proposal, while Ireland, Britain and Croatia abstained over concerns that the new rules would hurt their transport industries.  Europe is moving forward, I salute the ambitious agreement on posted workers: more protection, less fraud,  Macron said in a post on Twitter late on Monday.  The Dutch minister praised the deal, saying all workers deserved protection from unfair competition. His Hungarian colleague said the final text was vague and left too much scope for interpretation. Most EU countries were taking the floor on the matter throughout the day of negotiations on the politically sensitive reform, with one key point of contention being whether to keep international road transport covered by any new posting rules, as sought by Berlin and Paris among others.  Spain, Ireland, Portugal and several states on the EU s eastern flank wanted that exempted and subject to a separate law. In the latter group, Poland is the biggest exporter of cheap labor force in the EU.  The bloc s executive Commission in the end declared that part of the transport sector, namely transit, would not be regulated by the posting rules.   The transport sector is a special case because of the industry s mobile nature, (and) there are several texts on the sector being discussed which will detail exactly how it will be applied,  an official at the French president s office said.      While one camp says cheap workers  easy access to their countries is weighing on salaries and undermining the labor market, the other says tightening rules amounts to protectionism and weakens competition.  It s about fairness on the labor market,  said the EU s top jobs official, Marianne Thyssen.  I am all in favor of freedom of movement but it must be organized in a fair way ... The internal market is based on rules, it s not a jungle.  Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and other easterners say they should be allowed to compete with lower wages to catch up with the wealthier west after decades of communist malaise. Macron embarked on a tour of eastern Europe over the summer as he tries to get countries on board, and some such as Bulgaria and Slovakia backed the agreement.   The 18-month agreement   written down as a 12-month cap with a possible 6-month extension   bridged most differences over the maximum period allowed for sending workers abroad under posting rules before they fall under the host country s labor laws. The ministers gave a green light to opening negotiations on the reform with the European Parliament, which will likely bring more changes to any final agreement.  Apart from the future of transport, other themes still open include exact remuneration rules for the posting of workers, which is profitable for companies because of the wage gap in the EU.  While the estimated 2 million posted workers only make up a tiny fraction of the bloc s workforce, the issue has driven a wedge between the richer states at the center and their poorer peers on the peripheries. For Macron, the reform is seen as crucial to convince his voters of a need for difficult economic reforms at home by showing he stands up for their interests in the EU.  European lawmakers last week agreed their own stance on the matter, including by proposing a 24-month limit on working abroad under posting rules, and ensuring that such mobile workers are entitled to the same bonuses as the locals.

Summary: अधिकांश यूरोपीय संघ के राज्यों ने फ्रांस के मैक्रों द्वारा मांगे गए श्रम नियमों में सुधार पर जोर दिया


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A healthcare bill being unveiled by U.S. Senate Republicans on Thursday is expected to roll back the Obamacare expansion of the Medicaid healthcare program for the poor and reshape subsidies to low-income people buying private insurance. Those subsidies are expected to be linked to recipients’ income, a “major improvement” from a healthcare overhaul bill passed in the House of Representatives that tied them solely to age, Republican Senator Susan Collins said on Wednesday. The Washington Post reported that the bill would also repeal most of the taxes that pay for the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, give states wider latitude to opt out of its regulations and eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood, a healthcare provider that offers abortion services.  The healthcare bill will be released to the Republican Senate Conference on Thursday morning and posted online, senators said. A vote could come as soon as next week, several senators said. Senate Republicans have been working behind closed doors for weeks on legislation aimed at repealing and replacing major portions of Obamacare, former Democratic President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law. Obamacare extended insurance coverage to millions of Americans through both subsidized private insurance and an expansion of Medicaid. “There is an urgency to get this done because of the continued collapse of the Obama healthcare law,” Senator John Barrasso, a member of the Senate Republican leadership, told CNN. “People across the country are suffering pain and the pain is getting worse as insurance companies are pulling out.” Democrats accuse Republicans of sabotaging Obamacare, and say the Republican healthcare bill is aimed at cutting taxes for the wealthy. Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington said in a statement that leaked details of the bill indicated it was “every bit as devastating for families’ bank accounts and healthcare coverage as the disastrous bill that passed in the House.” President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans campaigned last year on a pledge to replace and repeal Obamacare, which they described as ineffective and government intrusion in a key sector of the economy.          Some Republican senators voiced concern on Wednesday about the rush to consider the major legislation as their party’s leaders prepare to unveil it. Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said he wanted to read the bill and discuss it with constituents before he votes. “I’d find it hard to believe we’ll have enough time,” he said, adding that if he did not get enough information, “I won’t be voting yes.” Democrats hoping to block the healthcare measure in the Republican-led Senate need at least two Republicans to defect. The Democrats have criticized the behind-the-scenes meetings, and blocked Senate committees on Wednesday from meeting for over two hours in protest.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, defending the closed-door sessions, has said all Senate Republicans have had a chance to participate in meetings on the bill, and that Democrats are not interested in overhauling Obamacare. Once the plan is unveiled, Senate Republicans will face a skeptical public that thinks the House version would be harmful for low-income Americans and people with pre-existing health conditions, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday.  Trump told a rally in Iowa on Wednesday night that he hoped the Senate would come up with a “really good” bill. “I’ve been talking about a plan with heart,” Trump said. He had privately called the House legislation “mean,” according to congressional sources. Several weeks of negotiations over the bill have been plagued by tensions between moderates and conservatives. Much of the battle has been over how quickly to phase out the Medicaid expansion that took place under Obamacare. Moderates favored a seven-year phase-out, but the Senate leadership proposed three years starting in 2020. There was also an argument over Medicaid’s growth rate going forward, with conservatives favoring lowering the growth rate in 2025. “That’s what we’re told it might be,” said Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.  Cassidy said senators had also been told the legislation would continue funding cost-sharing subsidies made available to help low-income Americans under Obamacare “for a couple of years.” Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine, said she wanted to read an assessment by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on its impact on cost and insurance coverage before making her decision.  “The first concern is how many people will lose coverage and what do the demographics of that group look like,” she said.  An estimated 23 million people could lose their healthcare under a similar plan narrowly passed last month by the Republican-controlled House, according to the CBO.

Summary: सीनेट स्वास्थ्य सेवा विधेयक से मेडिकेड के विस्तार में कटौती की उम्मीद है


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s top trade official laid down a hard negotiating line for revamping the North American Free Trade Agreement on Wednesday, saying that major changes were needed to slash U.S. trade deficits and boost U.S. content in autos. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said NAFTA had “failed many, many Americans” and Trump was not interested in merely tweaking the 23-year-old pact, and would seek major changes that would increase North American and U.S. content for autos and strong labor standards. “We need to ensure that the huge trade deficits do not continue and we have balance and reciprocity. This should be periodically reviewed,” Lighthizer said in opening remarks at NAFTA negotiations in Washington. “The rules of origin, particularly on autos and auto parts, must require higher NAFTA content and substantial U.S. content.”

Summary: अमेरिकी व्यापार दूत लाइटहाइज़र का कहना है कि नाफ्टा अमेरिकियों को "विफल" कर चुका है


ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - The head of the African Union said on Monday that a U.S. travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries including three in Africa heralded “turbulent times” for the continent. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma spoke after U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order halted travel by people with passports from Libya, Somalia, Sudan and four other Middle East nations for 90 days, and stopped refugee resettlement for 120 days. “We are entering very turbulent times,” Dlamini-Zuma told African leaders at the start of a summit in the 54-nation bloc’s headquarters in the Ethiopian capital. “The very country to which many of our people were taken as slaves during the transatlantic slave trade has now decided to ban refugees from some of our countries. What do we do about this? Indeed, this is one of the greatest challenges to our unity and solidarity,” the AU Commission chief added. Even before the travel ban was announced last week, African capitals had watched the transition from Barack Obama’s administration to Trump with some concern, fearing his focus on “America first” could push trade and other ties with the continent down the U.S. list of priorities. The new U.N. secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, also hinted at unease about the U.S. administration’s actions in his address at the summit, without mentioning Trump or the United States. “African nations are among the world’s largest and most generous hosts of refugees. African borders remain open for those who need protection, when so many borders are being closed even in some of the most developed countries in the world,” said Guterres, who took over at the U.N. helm this month.

Summary: अमेरिकी यात्रा प्रतिबंध अफ्रीका के लिए 'अशांत समय' की शुरुआत करता हैः ए. यू. प्रमुख


LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will speak to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday to discuss North Korea, her spokeswoman said, after it conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test two days ago.  She is due to speak to President Trump shortly,  her spokeswoman told reporters, adding that May also planned to speak to French President Emmanuel Macron about North Korea.  Earlier, a British minister summoned the North Korean ambassador to the foreign ministry to condemn the test on Sept. 3.

Summary: ब्रिटेन की मे उत्तर कोरिया पर अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति ट्रम्प से बात करेंगी


(Reuters) - U.S. health insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc on Tuesday said it would largely exit the Obamacare individual insurance market in 2017, citing expectations for mounting losses from the program. UnitedHealth is the largest U.S. health insurer and one of the biggest sellers of plans on the exchanges, which were created as part of President Barack Obama’s national healthcare law. UnitedHealth sells these plans in 34 states this year, up from 25 states last year. “Next year, we will remain in only a handful of states,” UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley said in prepared remarks as part of the company’s first-quarter earnings report.  The company warned investors late last year that it was losing money on the new plans and might exit the market. On Tuesday, the company raised its 2016 expectation for losses on the exchanges by $125 million to $650 million. UnitedHealth’s Hemsley said that the shorter term, higher risk profile of the new members, as well as the smaller than expected enrollment, suggested UnitedHealth could not offer plans on a sustained basis.  For the first quarter, United Health’s profit was better-than-expected and UnitedHealth shares rose 1.9 percent to $130.29 in early New York Stock Exchange trading.  Other health insurers including Aetna Inc and Anthem Inc are also large players on the exchanges. In recent months they said they will continue to sell exchange plans.  The company has 795,000 customers from the exchanges, more than half of them new to UnitedHealth, it said. It expects about 650,000 members by year end.  The government said in February that more than 12 million people had signed up for Obamacare-related insurance through HealthCare.gov or a state-based exchange as of Jan. 31. Previous government expectations had been for more than 20 million people. UnitedHealth raised its expectations for 2016 profit, in part because of a more favorable tax rate that also helped it beat Wall Street expectations for the first quarter. Lower sales and administrative costs and a decline in amortization of intangible assets also helped its first quarter results. On an adjusted basis the health insurer earned $1.81 per share, compared with Wall Street analyst expectations for earnings of $1.72 per share, according to ThomsonReuters I/B/E/S. Net profit rose to $1.61 billion, or $1.67 per share, from $1.41 billion or $1.46 per share, a year earlier.  The company now expects 2016 adjusted net earnings of $7.75-$7.95 per share, up 15 cents per share from its previous estimate.

Summary: ओबामाकेयर एक्सचेंज से बाहर निकलने की योजना बना रहा है यूनाइटेडहेल्थ


ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in the United States on April 20, diplomatic sources said on Monday. Italy holds the rotating presidency of the Group of Seven industrialized nations and is due to host a summit of leaders in Sicily in May, which is expected to be Trump’s first trip to Europe as president. Trump has already met a number of major power leaders in Washington since taking office in January, including British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Summary: इटली के प्रधानमंत्री 20 अप्रैल को अमेरिका में ट्रम्प से मिलेंगेः राजनयिक सूत्र


DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland might consider adding elements to the text of an agreement on the post-Brexit future of Northern Ireland s border as long as they do not undermine those already contained in the deal, the Irish Times reported on Tuesday.  British Prime Minister Theresa May has found it difficult to come up with a formula that satisfies both EU member Ireland, which wants to avoid creation of a  hard  border, and Northern Ireland s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which says the British province must quit the EU on the same terms as the rest of the UK. The DUP props up May s minority government. A tentative deal on the border, promising  regulatory alignment  on both sides of the island of Ireland, was agreed on Monday. It was later rejected by the DUP, which says it cannot allow any divergence in regulation between Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK. Brussels says agreement is needed before it will give the green light for Britain to begin talks on future free trade when European Union leaders meet next week. The Irish Times quoted a spokesman for Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar as saying the adding of elements to assuage the concerns of the DUP  doesn t seem unreasonable  and was  a possibility.  The Irish Times suggested such an element might refer to the strength of the UK as a political entity.  Asked to comment on the report, a spokesman for Varadkar said  the view of the Irish government is that the terms of the deal reached on Monday must stand.   It s up to the UK government to work out with the DUP how it proposes to move forward,  the spokesman added.

Summary: आयरलैंड ब्रेक्सिट सीमा पाठ को जोड़ने पर विचार कर सकता हैः आयरिश टाइम्स


MANILA (Reuters) - Ride-hailing platforms Uber [UBER.UL] and Grab have agreed to stop their drivers from delivering unchecked packages on behalf of customers, in response to government concerns they could unwittingly become couriers of illegal drugs. The decision followed an advisory from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) about some illicit drugs in packages reportedly being delivered via the ride-hailing services. President Rodrigo Duterte s 15-month-old administration has been waging a brutal war on drugs, the centerpiece of his election campaign, with thousands of people killed during what police say are anti-narcotics operations. Duterte insists narcotics are at the root of the country s rampant crime problem and says as many as four million Filipinos are using drugs. Uber and Grab representatives who met this week with officials of PDEA and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said they would order drivers not to take unchecked packages without passengers.  Uber services here are for passengers only,  Yves Gonzales, in charge of government relations and public policy at Uber Philippines, said during the meeting, in comments aired on news channel ANC on Friday. Leo Gonzales, Grab Philippines public affairs head, sought an assurance that Grab drivers would not be penalized by the regulator for refusing customers who wanted packages to be delivered. Its delivery service, Grab Express, would require customers to open the packages and show the contents to drivers first, then complete identification forms, ANC reported. The LTFRB said in a statement it would make drug testing mandatory for all drivers of public utility vehicles and ride-hailing services, and would ban those showing positive results. Representatives of Uber and Grab did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Summary: दवा की चिंताओं के बीच उबर, ग्रैब फिलीपींस में डिलीवरी पर सख्ती लाएंगे


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Paul Ryan was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives by voters in his Wisconsin district on Tuesday, positioning him to reassert his claim to remain speaker of the House, the highest-ranking post in the U.S. Congress. The 2012 vice presidential nominee, if returned to the speaker’s chair by House members, may have a smaller Republican majority to work with if voters elect fewer Republicans. Most House races were still undecided. Like all members of the House, other Republicans were also running for re-election from their home districts, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana. Along with Ryan, they were expected to seek re-election to their leadership posts. Closed-door leadership elections in both parties were expected to take place later in November. A new speaker will be elected by all members of Congress in January. Ryan, 46, has been speaker since October 2015. His re-election to that job is not certain. Some House conservatives have criticized him, and they may have a stronger hand after Tuesday’s voting. A number of Republican lawmakers were angered in October when Ryan said he would not campaign with or defend Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was in a closely fought race with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night.

Summary: रिपब्लिकन स्पीकर रयान विस्कॉन्सिन से अमेरिकी सदन के लिए फिर से चुने गए


YANGON (Reuters) - Pope Francis held talks on Monday with Myanmar s military chief at the start of a delicate visit to a majority-Buddhist country that the United States has accused of  ethnic cleansing  against its Muslim Rohingya people. The leader of the Roman Catholic church will also visit Bangladesh, where more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to escape what Amnesty International has called  crimes against humanity . Myanmar s army has denied accusations of murder, rape, torture and forced displacement that have been made against it. The pope s first meeting in Yangon was with military commander Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in St. Mary s Cathedral in the heart of the Southeast Asian nation s largest city.  They discussed the great responsibility of authorities of the country in this time of transition,  Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said after the 15 minutes of talks, which were followed by an exchange of gifts. Francis presented the general with a commemorative medal of his visit, and Min Aung Hlaing gave the pope a harp in the shape of a boat and an ornate rice bowl, Burke said. The army chief told the pope that  there s no religious discrimination in Myanmar and there s the freedom of religion,  according to a statement on the Facebook page of Min Aung Hlaing.  Every soldier s goal is to build a stable and peaceful country,  the army chief was paraphrased as saying in the statement.  Members of ethnic minority groups in traditional dress welcomed Francis at Yangon airport, and children presented him with flowers as he stepped off his plane. He waved through an open window at dozens of children waving Vatican and Myanmar flags and wearing T-shirts with the motto of the trip    love and peace    as he set off in a car. Only about 700,000 of Myanmar s 51 million people are Roman Catholic. Thousands of them traveled by train and bus to Yangon, and they joined crowds at several roadside points along the way from the airport to catch a glimpse of the pope. More than 150,000 people have registered for a mass that Francis will say in Yangon on Wednesday, according to Catholic Myanmar Church spokesman Mariano Soe Naing.   We come here to see the Holy Father. It happens once in hundreds of years,  said Win Min Set, a community leader who brought a group of 1,800 Catholics from the south and west of the country.   He is very knowledgeable when it comes to political affairs. He will handle the issue smartly,  he said, referring to the sensitivity of the pope s discussions about the Rohingya. Large numbers of riot police were mobilized in Yangon but there were no signs of any protests. The trip is so delicate that some papal advisers have warned Francis against even saying the word  Rohingya , lest he set off a diplomatic incident that could turn the country s military and government against minority Christians. The Rohingya exodus from Rakhine state to Bangladesh s southern tip began at the end of August, when Rohingya militants attacked security posts and the Myanmar army launched a counter-offensive. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week called the military operation  ethnic cleansing  and threatened targeted sanctions for  horrendous atrocities . Myanmar s government has denied most of the accusations made against it, and the army says its own investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing by troops. Myanmar does not recognize the Rohingya as citizens nor as members of a distinct ethnic group with their own identity, and it even rejects the term  Rohingya  and its use. Many people in Myanmar instead refer to members of the Muslim minority in Rakhine state as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.  Francis is expected to meet a group of Rohingya refugees in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, on the second leg of his trip. The most tense moments of his Myanmar visit were expected to be the private meeting with the army chief and, separately, with civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday. Vatican sources say some in the Holy See believe the trip was decided too hastily after full diplomatic ties were established in May during a visit by Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi s reputation as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been tarnished because she has expressed doubts about the reports of rights abuses against the Rohingya and failed to condemn the military. The pope has already used the word Rohingya in two appeals from the Vatican this year.  Asked if he would say it in Myanmar, Burke said Francis was taking the advice he had been given seriously, but added:  We will find out together during the trip ... it is not a forbidden word . A hardline group of Buddhist monks, previously known as Ma Ba Tha, said it welcomed the pope s visit but warned, without elaborating, of  a response  if he spoke openly about the Rohingya.  I hope he doesn t touch on sensitive issues that Myanmar people couldn t accept,  said Tawparka, a spokesman for the group, who goes by a single name.  There s no problem if he talks about Islam, but it s unacceptable if he speaks about Rohingya and extreme terrorists.

Summary: पोप ने रोहिंग्या संकट की छाया में म्यांमार के सैन्य प्रमुख से मुलाकात की


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. Senate Republican and the White House budget director said on Sunday they hoped for action on a Republican tax reform package by the end of the year, while keeping their options open on how to pay for sweeping tax cuts. President Donald Trump’s plan promises up to $6 trillion in tax cuts but would increase the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion over the next decade. Democrats have criticized the package as a giveaway to the rich and corporations that would balloon the deficit. Republicans, who control both the Senate and House of Representatives, have yet to produce a bill as their self-imposed deadline to overhaul the U.S. tax code by the end of 2017 approaches. The party’s lawmakers differ widely on what cuts to make and how to pay for them. Trump participated in a conference call with House Republican lawmakers on Sunday where tax reform was discussed, a White House official said. The president was also expected to travel to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to participate in Senate Republicans’ weekly policy lunch, with the tax package high on the agenda. The White House is not counting on Congress enacting enough spending reductions to offset the impact on revenue from tax cuts, said Trump’s budget director, Mick Mulvaney. “We hit off $54 billion worth of discretionary cuts in our budget back in March. Only about 4 or 5 billion (dollars) have survived so far on the Hill,” Mulvaney said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “We’re not going to be able to cut our way to balance.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said estimated growth for the overall economy in the Republican plan would offset the tax cuts.  Asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” whether he had abandoned his longtime insistence that tax cuts be revenue-neutral, McConnell said: “No, actually we’re not because that’s a rather conservative estimate of how much growth you’ll get out of this pro-growth tax reform.” Trump’s tax reform proposal cleared a critical hurdle on Thursday, when the Senate approved a budget measure that will allow Republicans to pursue a tax-cut package without support from Democrats.  Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who attended a Senate Finance Committee meeting at the White House last week, said Trump was at a fork in the road on the tax reform bill. Brown said the president could work with Democrats on helping the middle class and keeping jobs in the country, or throw in with the billionaires. “The people closest to the president whispering in his ear all want to do tax cuts for - want to do trickle-down economics, big tax cuts for the wealthiest people in the country, and hope it trickles down,” Brown said on CNN. “They say it’s budget-neutral, and they say it will raise wages. It’s never done that throughout history.” Mulvaney said he had heard that the House of Representatives may move quickly to accept the Senate’s amendments and save 10 to 12 legislative days. If the House takes up the measure this week, he told “Fox News Sunday,” it “absolutely moves the ball a lot, further a lot quicker toward an actual law.”  McConnell also told Fox he expected Congress to get tax reform done by the end of the year. The Republican Senate leader would not say whether he would back an idea being considered by Republicans, according to the Wall Street Journal on Friday, to cap contributions to retirement funds. “We’re just beginning the process of actually crafting the bills,” McConnell said on CNN. “It’s way too early to predict the various details.” Mulvaney said the White House was “agnostic” about adding a top tax bracket, an idea floated by House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan. “It’s not a big piece for us. If the House needs to add it to pass a great tax reform, that’s great. If they don’t, that’s great, too,” Mulvaney said.

Summary: शीर्ष सीनेट रिपब्लिकन, व्हाइट हाउस, वर्ष के अंत तक कर विधेयक लाने का लक्ष्य रखता है


TEL AVIV (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday President Donald Trump was prepared to invest his personal efforts into Middle East peace if Israeli and Palestinian leaders were ready to be serious about engaging in the process. Tillerson, speaking to reporters on Air Force One, said a three-way meeting between U.S., Israeli and Palestinian leaders was for a “later date” rather than on this trip.

Summary: टिलरसनः ट्रम्प व्यक्तिगत रूप से मध्य पूर्व शांति में शामिल होने के लिए तैयार हैं


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday called the appellate court ruling that upheld the suspension of his order restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries a “political decision,” and vowed his administration would ultimately prevail. “We’ll see them in court,” Trump told reporters who had gathered outside his press secretary’s office. “It’s a political decision.” Trump said he did not view the ruling as a major setback for his White House. “This is just a decision that came down, but we’re going to win the case,” he said.

Summary: ट्रम्प ने कहा कि यात्रा प्रतिबंध पर अपील अदालत का फैसला 'राजनीतिक' था


LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May will set out plans to build  a road to a better future  for Britain at her Conservative Party conference next week, hoping to head off a rebellion over her handling of Brexit and the June election. Weakened by the loss of the Conservatives  parliamentary majority in that election, which prompted some members to call for her to go, May will try to show she is still the right person to lead the party and Britain. She will set out her vision of a  country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few . May first made that promise on the steps of her Downing Street office when she became prime minister just over a year ago after Britain voted to leave the European Union and her predecessor David Cameron stepped down.  She will be keen to play down divisions in her cabinet of ministers over the Brexit divorce talks with the EU, which has given the opposition Labour Party ammunition to criticize a squabbling government. Instead, she will go on the offensive against Labour, which has won over voters by making a similar promise to govern  for the many, not the few . Labour came second in the election, but did far better than mainstream expectations. The standing of it leader, leftist Jeremy Corbyn, was raised considerably.  Our party meets in Manchester this week, and our message to you is simple. As Conservatives, we have a vision of a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few   precisely the direction I set when I became prime minister last year,  May said in a statement before the conference begins on Sunday.  I understand the concerns raised, particularly by young people, during what was a disappointing election for my party. So my determination to act on those concerns, and crucially, to fulfill the promise of my first speech on the steps of Downing Street, is greater than ever.  After Labour staged a conference this week at which it sounded triumphant, May hopes to fire up thousands of members who feel let down by what some describe as an awful election campaign, when their leader was dubbed  the Maybot  for her repetition of catchphrases. May is now dependent on a small Northern Irish party to be sure of passing legislation in parliament, and opinion polls indicate that Labour is a growing threat, persuading rivals in the party not to try to topple her quite yet. May will also be careful in Manchester to present a united front and keep a lid on divisions in her cabinet after arguments over her Brexit strategy and vision of future ties with the EU, and over austerity, broke out into the open.  So this week we ll be setting out our road to a better future for you (voters) and your family. Yes, we have to get the best Brexit deal   but we must also take action here at home to make this a fairer place to live for ordinary working people,  she said.  And for people considering the alternative, we have a clear message too. The Labour Party is simply not fit to govern   and have already gone back on their promises about things like student debt.  She offered no details of her plan to take the initiative in a domestic debate that has been dominated by Labour s criticism of economic austerity.  Its criticism of public sector cuts and pay caps for nurses, police and firefighters has caught the mood of the public. Many people have seen wages stagnate for nearly a decade as prices rise, and this has helped Labour close the gap in the opinion polls. Conservative members say May must try to re-engage voters and modernize a party that some say has been overly dependent on older voters and swathes of southern England, which are now being targeted by Labour.  This week in Manchester you ll see more of our plan for a country that truly works for everyone,  she said.

Summary: 'एक बेहतर भविष्य'-ब्रिटेन की मई अपने रूढ़िवादियों को रैली करने की कोशिश करती है


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has made a $500 million grant to the Green Climate Fund, meant to help developing nations combat climate change, the State Department said on Tuesday. The move, coming days before U.S. President Barack Obama hands over power to Donald Trump, was “long-planned,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a news briefing.

Summary: अमेरिका ने जलवायु परिवर्तन कोष के लिए 50 करोड़ डॉलर का अनुदान दियाः विदेश विभाग


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department was “disappointed” India had refused visas to members of a U.S. commission that examines violations of religious freedom around the world, a spokesman said on Monday. The commission, made up mainly of professors and leaders of non-profit groups appointed by the president and members of Congress, had planned to travel to India last week but New Delhi failed to issue them visas. The Indian Embassy said in a statement on its web site that “a foreign entity” like the U.S. commission had no standing to pass judgment on the state of India’s constitutionally protected rights. Robert George, a professor of jurisprudence at Princeton who chairs the commission, said last week it was unfortunate that a secular democracy like India had refused a visit from the panel, which has been permitted in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and China, which restrict religious freedoms. State Department spokesman John Kirby said the United States was “disappointed by this news.” “We’re supportive of the commission and the important role they play in reviewing facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom around the world,” Kirby said. He declined to say whether the State Department had discussed the issue with counterparts in New Delhi. But he did say the United States remained engaged “in a number of discussions” with the government on the issue. The commission said in its 2015 report on religious freedom that incidents of religiously motivated and communal violence had reportedly increased for three consecutive years. It said that despite India’s status as a pluralistic, secular democracy, New Delhi had long struggled to protect minority religious communities or provide justice when crimes occurred, creating a climate of impunity. Non-governmental organizations and religious leaders, including from the Muslim, Christian, and Sikh communities, attributed the initial increase in violence to religiously divisive campaigning in the 2014 general election by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, which won the vote. Since the election, religious minorities have been subject to derogatory comments by politicians linked the BJP and numerous violent attacks and forced conversions by Hindu nationalist groups. Despite a much-heralded fresh start in U.S.-India relations under Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the BJP, the United States has run into problems arranging visits by other American officials, including the head of its office to combat human trafficking and its special envoy for gay rights.

Summary: धार्मिक अधिकार आयोग के लिए भारत के वीजा से इनकार से अमेरिका 'निराश'


LONDON (Reuters) - British police are chasing down the people they suspect of being behind a bomb which injured 29 people on a packed commuter train in west London on Friday, the country s most senior counter-terrorism officer said.  Mark Rowley said officers were sifting through surveillance footage and examining the remains of the device.  This is a very complex investigation which is continuing at speed,  he told reporters.  We are chasing down suspects.

Summary: ट्रेन बम विस्फोट के बाद ब्रिटिश पुलिस 'संदिग्धों का पीछा कर रही है'


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Police arrested more than 400 protesters outside the U.S. Capitol on Monday from Democracy Spring, an organization seeking to remove big money from politics and combat restrictive voter identification laws. The mostly calm and orderly demonstration resulted in arrests for what the U.S. Capitol Police called “unlawful demonstration activity” such as crowding and obstruction. Organizers vowed to repeat the demonstration every day for a week. The protest was held “to demand Congress take immediate action to end the corruption of big money in our politics and ensure free and fair elections,” Democracy Spring said on its website. The group lists actor Mark Ruffalo and academic Noam Chomsky and dozens of well-known activist groups among its supporters. “We believe this is the people’s house, and Congress should be responsive to the people. We need to protect voting rights,” said Peter Callahan, the group’s communications coordinator. Protesters hoisted a scarecrow-like effigy of a corporate lobbyist holding money bags and a sign reading, “Warning: Massive civil disobedience is next.” Police arrested those who sat on the stairs of the East Front of the Capitol, the seat of the Senate and the House of Representatives.  Democracy Spring traces its roots to the end of the Occupy Los Angeles movement, and its rise coincides with the presidential campaigns of Democrat Bernie Sanders and Republican Donald Trump, both of whom speak against the influence of campaign contributions on politicians. While most of the groups involved are associated more with Democrats than Republicans, Callahan said the group was nonpartisan. “We see populism on the rise on both sides of the spectrum. Americans are sick and tired of their politicians being bought and paid for,” Callahan said.

Summary: राजनीति में पैसे के विरोध में पुलिस ने अमेरिकी कैपिटल में 400 लोगों को गिरफ्तार किया


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President-elect Mike Pence said on Sunday he was not offended by rare and pointed comments made to him by a cast member of “Hamilton” after he attended the hit Broadway show. “I wasn’t offended,” Pence said on “Fox News Sunday,” declining to ask for an apology as President-elect Donald Trump had demanded.  Pence acknowledged that many Americans were disappointed and anxious after Trump’s surprise Nov. 8 election victory following a raucous campaign, but he sought to reassure Americans that Trump would be a president “for all Americans.” After the show on Friday evening, Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays America’s third vice president, Aaron Burr, read a statement directed at Pence, who was in the audience, while standing in front of the cast in full costume. “We, sir - we - are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights,” Dixon said. Pence sought to address Dixon’s concerns, telling CBS in a separate interview that Trump has “a great heart. He’s got heart for the American people” and wanted to reassure “anyone, including the actor who spoke that night, that President-elect Donald Trump is going to be president of all the people.” Trump criticized the cast in a series of tweets on Saturday and again on Sunday.  “The Theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!” Trump wrote on Twitter on Saturday, taking time out from his search for appointees to his incoming administration.  “Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing. This should not happen!” Pence praised the hit show and urged people to see it. Trump called the sold-out show “highly overrated” Sunday. Pence noted that there were some boos and cheers when he arrived at the theater. He recalled telling his family of the response: “That’s what freedom sounds like.” “Hamilton” is a hip-hop-infused musical that tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, a penniless immigrant who rose to become the right-hand man of General George Washington, as well as a key figure in the creation of the U.S. financial system and the creator of the U.S. Coast Guard. He was killed in an 1804 duel with Burr.

Summary: 'हैमिल्टन' शो में टिप्पणियों से पेंस नाराज नहीं हुए


MILAN/VENICE (Reuters) - Political leaders in northern Italy claimed an overwhelming mandate on Monday to seek greater autonomy from Rome after referendums that did not go as far as the independence vote in Catalonia declared illegal by Spain. Voters in Lombardy and Veneto, both run by the once openly secessionist Northern League, backed the party s autonomy bid by more than 95 percent, although in Lombardy less than half of the electorate turned out. In both regions, many people complain their taxes are wasted by the central government, accusing Rome of delivering low-quality public services and diverting money to the poor south widely seen by northerners as corrupt.  This is the big bang of institutional reforms,  Veneto Governor Luca Zaia told a news conference, announcing plans to begin negotiations on clawing back powers from the central government in 23 policy areas. Regional representatives would be ready to start discussions with Rome in a week, he said.  Unlike the Catalonian referendum, which sparked a political crisis in Spain, the Italian votes were legal, but not binding on Rome. Foreign Affairs Minister Angelino Alfano said the government was ready to negotiate as long as the unity of the nation was not called into question.      Italy s constitution does not allow regional fiscal autonomy, however, and Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina said that while Rome was open to talks it would not give up tax proceeds from the rich regions. Lombardy, the region of financial hub Milan, accounts for about 20 percent of Italy s economy, which is the euro zone s third largest. Veneto, which includes the tourist magnet Venice, accounts for 10 percent. So any redistribution of tax revenues could have a negative impact on much poorer regions in the south. Lombardy Governor Roberto Maroni said tax was very much on the table.  We can now write a new page: the regions that ask for more power will get it,  he told journalists.  I am talking for example about the power to discuss about tax proceeds that normally go to Rome ... this is the first step in a path towards big reforms.   Voter turnout was around 38 percent in Lombardy and just above 57 percent in Veneto.      The vote is a success for the Lega, Zaia and Maroni. It is an important victory but a dangerous one too,  said Giovanni Orsina, history professor at Rome s Luiss University. The referendums could deepen north-south divisions that pre-date the modern, unified Italian state and many also backfire on the League, a centre-right party that is trying to broaden its appeal beyond the north ahead of national elections next year, Orsina said.

Summary: कैटेलोनिया संकट की छाया में इतालवी क्षेत्रों ने अधिक स्वायत्तता का पीछा करना शुरू कर दिया है


BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday championed Argentina’s new center-right leader Mauricio Macri as an example for other countries in Latin America, praising the fast pace of reforms to strengthen the economy. Obama, on a two-day visit to Argentina that marks a detente after years of tensions, said Argentina under Macri was poised to play a more influential role on the global stage.  In his first 100 days in office, Macri has distanced himself from South America’s leftist bloc, old allies of former President Cristina Fernandez, and sought a thaw in relations with Western capitals as he seeks new investment in Latin America’s No. 3 economy. “I can tell you President Macri is a man in hurry,” Obama told a joint news conference after the two leaders held talks. “I’m impressed because he has moved rapidly on so many of the reforms that he promised, to create more sustainable and inclusive economic growth, to reconnect Argentina with the global economy and the world community,” he said. Macri offers Obama a new ally in South America, a region where a strong leftist bloc turned its back on Washington over the past decade but where public opinion is now shifting toward the political center as governments grapple with graft scandals and an economic slowdown. “Argentina is re-assuming its traditional leadership role in the region and around the world,” Obama said.   His trip to Argentina to forge a new friendship follows a historic visit to former Cold War foe Cuba that aimed to boost U.S. credibility across Latin America. For years, much of the region took a dim view of Washington’s longstanding policy of trying to force change on Communist-ruled Cuba by isolating it, a strategy that Obama has cast aside. Macri said Obama’s visit marked the start of new “mature” relations in which the countries would cooperate on issues ranging from trade to fighting international drug trafficking. Macri has lifted capital and trade controls, slashed bloated power subsidies and cut a debt deal with “holdout” creditors in the United States. But he still has to grapple with double-digit inflation, a yawning fiscal deficit and a shortage of hard currency, and has made securing new foreign investment flows a priority. The American Chamber of Commerce in Argentina said  U.S. firms would invest $2.3 billion in Argentina over the next 18 months, including more than $100 million each from General Motors Co, Dow Chemical Co, AES Corp and Ford Motor Co. Argentine Finance Minister Alfonso Prat-Gay urged business leaders, at a forum where the new investment flows were announced, to think long-term and said policies aimed at cutting inflation and reinvigorating growth would be felt in the second half of the year. “We’ve cleaned out the rubbish,” Prat-Gay said in reference to Fernandez’s protectionist policies that stunted investment. “Now we’re entering the starting gates.” Obama said the two governments would work to identify barriers impeding greater trade flows between the two economies, adding that a free trade agreement was something that might lie at the end of the process. “Right now there’s a lot of underbrush, a lot of unnecessary trade irritants and commercial irritants that can be cleared away administratively and that’s some of the work that we intend to do right away,” Obama said. Foreign companies operating in Argentina routinely complain about costly customs requirements, cumbersome red tape and strong workers’ rights. Obama said Argentina could be an effective partner in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime and said both countries would work together in response to the Zika virus that has spread across parts of South America at lightning speed. The two countries announced an agreement on joint steps to fight climate change including working to cut carbon emissions from air flights and integrating solar and wind power into electricity grids. Crowds have cheered Obama’s motorcade as it travels along Buenos Aires’ tree-lined boulevards, handing the U.S. leader a friendlier reception than his predecessor George W. Bush, whose presence at a Summit of the Americas in 2005 was met with protests and snubbed by then President Nestor Kirchner. But left-wing political parties have promised protests on Thursday, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the coup on March 24, 1976, that installed right-wing military rule.     In an era when Cold War thinking often put Washington behind right-wing governments in the region, the United States initially backed the 1976-1983 dictatorship, during which as many as 30,000 people were killed.  Obama said he would visit a memorial to victims of the “Dirty War” to pay tribute to the Argentines who stood up against human rights violations, and re-affirmed that his administration would declassify U.S. military and intelligence records related to the junta. “I hope this gesture also helps to rebuild trust that may have been lost between our two countries,” Obama said.

Summary: ओबामा ने सुधारों के लिए अर्जेंटीना के 'जल्दबाजी करने वाले व्यक्ति' मैक्री की प्रशंसा की


BEIJING (Reuters) - Sri Lanka is keen to reach agreement soon on a free trade deal with China, its foreign minister said on Tuesday, describing Beijing as a close friend and ally, despite strong local opposition to some major Chinese-invested schemes. In July, Sri Lanka signed a long-delayed $1.1 billion deal to lease its southern Hambantota port to China, ignoring an appeal by opposition parties to debate the pact in parliament. The $1.5-billion port, close to the main shipping route from Asia to Europe and likely to play a key role in China s  Belt and Road  initiative, has been mired in controversy since a Chinese firm agreed to take an 80 percent stake in it. The pact signed last year sparked widespread public anger, as Chinese control of the port, which included a plan for a 99-year lease of 15,000 acres (23 sq miles) to develop an adjacent industrial zone, provoked fears it could be used by Chinese naval vessels. Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana told a reception in Beijing to mark the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties that the two countries  friendship went back centuries.  Sri Lanka is very keen to reach an early conclusion to the free trade agreement with China in the near future that would expand more trade avenues for both countries,  Marapana said.  China has been a reliable and important partner in our drive towards economic development and Sri Lanka is appreciative of the country s commitment and assistance,  he added, without mentioning any specific projects. As one of the first countries to help in Sri Lanka s post-war reconstruction after the 2009 end of its 26-year civil war, China s ties with Sri Lanka have unnerved India, traditionally the island nation s most important partner.     By 2014, Chinese navy submarines were also docking in Colombo, raising alarm in New Delhi and prompting a push by the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to claw back influence in the region.  Sri Lanka is deeply appreciative of China for being a true and trusted friend and ally during our times of need,  Marapana said.

Summary: श्रीलंका ने चीन के साथ व्यापार समझौते को जल्द से जल्द पूरा करने की इच्छा जताई


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos told an Australian diplomat in May 2016 that Russia had political dirt on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, the New York Times reported on Saturday. The conversation between Papadopoulos and the diplomat, Alexander Downer, in London was a driving factor behind the FBI’s decision to open a counter-intelligence investigation of Moscow’s contacts with the Trump campaign, the Times reported. Two months after the meeting, Australian officials passed the information that came from Papadopoulos to their American counterparts when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online, according to the newspaper, which cited four current and former U.S. and foreign officials. Besides the information from the Australians, the probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation was also propelled by intelligence from other friendly governments, including the British and Dutch, the Times said. Papadopoulos, a Chicago-based international energy lawyer, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to lying to FBI agents about contacts with people who claimed to have ties to top Russian officials. It was the first criminal charge alleging links between the Trump campaign and Russia. The White House has played down the former aide’s campaign role, saying it was “extremely limited” and that any actions he took would have been on his own. The New York Times, however, reported that Papadopoulos helped set up a meeting between then-candidate Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and edited the outline of Trump’s first major foreign policy speech in April 2016. The federal investigation, which is now being led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, has hung over Trump’s White House since he took office almost a year ago. Some Trump allies have recently accused Mueller’s team of being biased against the Republican president. Lawyers for Papadopoulos did not immediately respond to requests by Reuters for comment. Mueller’s office declined to comment. Trump’s White House attorney, Ty Cobb, declined to comment on the New York Times report. “Out of respect for the special counsel and his process, we are not commenting on matters such as this,” he said in a statement. Mueller has charged four Trump associates, including Papadopoulos, in his investigation. Russia has denied interfering in the U.S. election and Trump has said there was no collusion between his campaign and Moscow.

Summary: एफ. बी. आई. रूस जांच में ऑस्ट्रेलियाई राजनयिक की गुप्त सूचना से मदद मिलीः एन. वाई. टी.


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump struck a blow against the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement on Friday in defiance of other world powers, choosing not to certify that Tehran is complying with the deal.  Based on the factual record I have put forward, I am announcing today that we cannot and will not make this certification,  Trump said at a White House event as he unveiled a tougher strategy against Tehran. Trump s move does not pull the United States out of the agreement, formally known as the JCPOA.

Summary: ट्रम्प ने कहा कि उन्होंने ईरान परमाणु समझौते को रद्द करने का फैसला किया है


TAIPEI (Reuters) - Before getting too carried away with Taiwan’s elevated status under a Donald Trump presidency, President Tsai Ing-wen might want to check her bank balance. Trump’s suggestion that the “one China” principle – that Taiwan is a part of China – was up for negotiation has already prompted saber-rattling from Chinese state media and some in the military establishment.  Taipei’s ability to mitigate any military action by China will be severely limited by its weak economy and a tiny domestic arms industry that will take years to build up. And even if the United States - Taiwan’s sole arms supplier – agrees to sell the advanced weaponry the island needs to deter a Chinese attack, Taipei will struggle to pay the bill, government advisers and experts say. “The trend in defense spending is a ‘slow rise’,” said Chieh Chung, a long-time defense expert and researcher with the National Policy Foundation in Taipei, a think tank. “There isn’t a lot of flexibility in government finances.” The ability of Taiwan to defend itself, and the willingness of the United States to help it, have been brought into sharp relief since President-elect Trump accepted an unprecedented phone call from President Tsai early this month.  Tsai has never conceded the “one China” principle and Beijing has never renounced the use of force to take back what it deems a wayward province, particularly if Taiwan makes moves toward independence. Despite that threat, Taiwan has spent less than 2 percent of its half-a-trillion dollar economy on its defense needs in recent years, leaving it woefully unable to match a free-spending China militarily. U.S.-based think tank the Rand Corporation said in a research report last year the United States would find it far more challenging to come to Taiwan’s aid in the event of an attack now compared to two decades ago, due to rapid advances in Chinese capabilities. In 1996, only two U.S. air wings would have been need to achieve air superiority at the outset of a conflict, but by 2017 that rises to 30, the report said. Selling arms might be more palatable, and there is certainly a need. Two of Taiwan’s four submarines date to World War Two, while the two other Dutch-built boats have been in service for nearly 30 years.  But Chieh estimates submarines would cost Taiwan more than $2 billion each, requiring a special budget fundraising via government bonds - a more expensive prospect in a rising interest rate environment.  Any arms sale would also risk provoking Beijing. Retired Major-General Luo Yuan, a widely read Chinese military figure, told Hong Kong’s Phoenix Television on Monday that Taiwan buying U.S. arms could be considered a hostile act. “If you want to buy one set of anti-missile systems from the United States, then we’ll set up four in response on the other side of the Taiwan Strait, so that you will know pain, that you can’t buy security, and that what you’re actually buying is danger,” he said. Buying big-ticket items like subs would also be a tough sell at home because Tsai has made developing an indigenous defense industry a key policy plank to create jobs and pump up the sluggish economy, currently growing at less than 2 percent. Taiwan has previously developed its own missiles and also manufactured over 100 of its own fighter jets in the 1990s before the program withered. The navy has just begun programs to build a few small warships, and next on Taiwan’s list are submarines and advanced jet trainers. But critics say it will take years to build a battle-ready fleet, costs would likely be higher than buying second-hand equipment and there is almost no export market to sustain programs for Taiwanese defense goods.    Taiwan’s reliance on the United States is therefore key. “Beijing knows that we have obligations to help Taiwan defend itself and resist coercion, as enshrined in the Taiwan Relations Act, and that we make decisions about our defense relationship with Taiwan based on the threat that China poses,” said Daniel Blumenthal, director of Asian Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, and a former U.S. defense official.   Trump’s campaign rhetoric, however, indicated he may be less likely to go to war over someone else’s defense while recent comments suggest Taiwan may be a pawn in his trade negotiations with China.  Madeleine Bordallo, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, says throwing China a “curve ball” will make Beijing think twice about issues such as Taiwan.  Bordallo backed a defense bill supporting senior military exchanges between the United States and Taiwan that was approved by Congress this month. “I believe that different types of engagement with Taiwan offer us a way to throw that curve ball in the coming years,” she told an audience at a security conference in Taipei this week. “Further engagement with Taiwan is important to achieving the strategic goal.”  ($1 = 31.9830 Taiwan dollars)

Summary: ट्रम्प ने चीन को लताड़ा, ताइवान ने रक्षा लागत बढ़ाई


(Reuters) - Since announcing her presidential bid last year, Hillary Clinton has had to field questions about the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, her family’s global philanthropy.  The non-profit group has been praised by health experts for helping to negotiate lower prices for HIV medicine in the developing world. But ethics experts and Clinton’s Republican opponents say its reliance on millions of dollars from foreign governments and powerful businesses makes her vulnerable to charges her donors could expect favorable treatment from the White House, which her campaign says is unfounded. * THE FOUNDATION’S HISTORYBill Clinton established the Clinton Foundation in 1997 to raise funds for his presidential archive in Little Rock, Arkansas, as he prepared to leave the White House. It has since grown into a complex global philanthropic organization, working to improve health and prospects in dozens of countries and to fight climate change. After leaving her job as U.S. secretary the state in 2013, Hillary Clinton joined the foundation’s board, and the organization was renamed the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.  Later in 2015, Hillary Clinton left the foundation to run for president and in the August 2016 her husband said he will step down from the board if she wins. Their plans to remain with the foundation.* THE FOUNDATION’S WORK The foundation typically raises more than a quarter of a billion dollars each year in grants and donations. It spends about $200 million each year on programs and other expenses. The biggest program is the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which accounts for about two-thirds of the foundation’s annual expenses and focuses on reducing the cost and increasing the availability of medicine for HIV, malaria and other infections in developing countries.  The foundation also is involved in an array of other causes. It helps farmers in Africa increase yields and profits and tries to stop poachers from killing elephants there. It encourages American parents to read to their toddlers and schools to provide healthier environments for their students. It also helps Americans get access to loans to make their homes more energy efficient. Under the name Clinton Global Initiative, the foundation throws regular glitzy multi-day gatherings where people from politics, corporations and non-profit organizations to discuss philanthropy projects. CGI will hold its last such meeting in September before ending. In 2015, foundation officials admitted the charity breached an ethics agreement Clinton signed with the White House in order to become secretary of state. Under the agreement, she promised she would annually disclose the names of all donors to the charity and that it would seek State Department approval before accepting new money from foreign governments. The charities said not complying with the promises was a result of oversights. The foundation also admitted it had wrongly completed half a dozen annual tax returns that gave misleading figures about the amount of support it got from foreign governments, among other errors. After Reuters discovered the errors, the foundation apologized and refiled the returns. The foundation continued to accept money from foreigners, including foreign governments, and corporations while Clinton was secretary of state but has said it will introduce at least some limits on such donations if she becomes president.  Emails by Clinton and her staff released by the State Department show it was not unusual for foundation officials to help donors get access to Clinton, prompting experts in government ethics to raise concerns that the foundation gives rise to an appearance of a conflict of interest. Donald Trump, Clinton’s Republican rival for the presidency, has called for a special prosecutor to look into the foundation. Clinton’s campaign says any donor who expected special favors from Clinton in return would have been disappointed.

Summary: फैक्टबॉक्सः क्यों क्लिंटन फाउंडेशन प्रशंसा और आलोचना दोनों को आकर्षित करता है


PARIS (Reuters) - France on Friday called on Iraq s central government to show restraint after taking control of the last district in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk and said Baghdad should take the rights of Kurds fully into account.  Iraqi forces are seeking to reestablish Baghdad s authority over territory which the Kurdish forces occupied outside the official boundaries of their autonomous region, mostly seized since 2014 in the course of the war on Islamic State militants. [L8N1MV1K2]  We ask the federal government to show restraint and fully respect the rights of the Kurds,  foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnes Romatet-Espagne told reporters.  Tens of thousands of Kurds have fled Kirkuk and Tuz to the two main cities of the Kurdish autonomous region, Erbil and Sulaimaniya, according to Kurdish officials. The United Nations expressed concern on Thursday at reports of forced displacement and destruction of Kurdish homes and businesses, mainly in Tuz. Romatet-Espagne said the Kurds also needed to accept a dialogue with Baghdad within the framework of the constitution.

Summary: बगदाद को संयम दिखाना चाहिए, कुर्द अधिकारों का सम्मान करना चाहिएः फ्रांस


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said before a visit to India next week that the Trump administration wanted to “dramatically deepen” cooperation with New Delhi, seeing it as a key partner in the face of negative Chinese influence in Asia. Speaking on Wednesday, less than a month before President Donald Trump is due to make his first state visit to China, Tillerson said the United States had begun to discuss creating alternatives to Chinese infrastructure financing in Asia. In another comment likely to upset Beijing, he said Washington saw room to invite others, including Australia, to join U.S.-India-Japan security cooperation, something Beijing has opposed as an attempt by democracies to gang up on it. The remarks coincide with the start of a week-long Chinese Communist Party congress at which President Xi Jinping is seeking to further consolidate his power. “The United States seeks constructive relations with China, but we will not shrink from China’s challenges to the rules-based order and where China subverts the sovereignty of neighboring countries and disadvantages the U.S. and our friends,” Tillerson told the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. “India and the United States should be in the business of equipping other countries to defend their sovereignty, build greater connectivity, and have a louder voice in a regional architecture that promotes their interests and develops their economies,” Tillerson added. The U.S. decision to expand relations with India almost certainly will upset India’s rival, Pakistan, where Tillerson also will stop next week, said a senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Pakistan was the main U.S. ally in South Asia for decades, but U.S. officials are frustrated with what they charge has been Pakistan’s failure to cut support for the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, where the administration wants India to play a bigger role in economic development. As part of a South Asia strategy unveiled by Trump in August, Tillerson is expected to press Islamabad, which denies aiding the Taliban, to take stronger steps against extremists and allied groups and intensify efforts to pressure them to agree to peace talks with Kabul. “We expect Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorist groups based there that threaten its own people and the broader region,” Tillerson said. Trump has threatened further cuts in U.S. aid to Pakistan if it fails to cooperate. China, a strategic rival to the United States and India, is also vital to Trump’s efforts to roll back North Korea’s efforts to create nuclear-armed missiles capable of reaching the United States, an issue expected to top the agenda in Trump’s Nov. 8-10 Beijing visit. A senior State Department official defended the timing of the speech, saying Tillerson also said he wanted a constructive relationship with China. “For many decades the United States has supported China’s rise,” said the official. “We’ve also supported India’s rise. But those two countries have risen very differently.” In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China hoped the United States could abandon bias when viewing its actions overseas. “China will never develop itself at the expense of other countries,” Lu told a regular briefing on Thursday. “At the same time we will never give up our justly deserved rights and interests.”  Healthy relations between China and the United States are good for the people of both countries and are expected by the Asia-Pacific region, he added. Tillerson did not say what he meant by creating an alternative to Chinese infrastructure financing, but said the Trump administration had begun a “quiet conversation” with some emerging East Asian democracies at a summit in August. He said Chinese financing was saddling countries with “enormous” debts and failing to create jobs. “We think it’s important that we begin to develop some means of countering that with alternative financing measures.” “We will not be able to compete with the kind of terms that China offers, but countries have to decide what are they willing to pay to secure their sovereignty and their future control of their economies and we’ve had those discussions with them as well,” he said.

Summary: चीन के उदय को देखते हुए अमेरिका भारत के साथ मजबूत आर्थिक, रक्षा संबंध चाहता हैः टिलरसन


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday lawmakers and the Trump administration were “on a path” toward reaching a deal on a bill that would keep the government funded beyond Dec. 8. “That job will have to be done by December the eighth, and I think we’re on a path to do that,” McConnell told reporters, without providing any details.

Summary: सीनेट के रिपब्लिकन नेता ने कहा कि वे सरकारी वित्त पोषण पर समझौते की ओर बढ़ रहे हैं