Global News Post: Politics

INDIA: BJP Says Not to Alter India's No First Use Nuclear Weapons Policy If It Comes To Power

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NEW
DELHI (NNN-Xinhua) -- India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has
made it clear that it will not alter the country's "no first use"
nuclear weapons policy if it comes to power after the ongoing general
elections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"The
no first use policy for nuclear weapons was a well thought out stand. We don't
intend to reverse it," BJP chief Rajnath Singh said in an interview to a
local newspaper published Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
BJP President's remarks came in the wake of its poll manifesto released on
April 7 in which the party said that it would "revise and update"
India's nuclear policy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">India
adopted its nuclear policy after conducting a series of nuclear tests in 1998
during the last BJP-led government's rule from 1998 to 2004.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The results of the general elections, which
began on April 7, are due on May 16, after the nine-phase polling ends on May
12. And, the BJP is projected to form the next government. –NNN-XINHUA</span></div>

INDIA: BJP Says Not to Alter India's No First Use Nuclear Weapons Policy If It Comes To Power

NEW DELHI (NNN-Xinhua) -- India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made it clear that it will not alter the country...

Pakistan to Re-Engage With India as Soon as New Govt. Is Formed

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">WASHINGTON (NNN-PTI) -- Pakistan is looking to
re-engage with India as soon as the new government is formed in New Delhi post
the ongoing general elections and has recommended the non-discriminatory market
access (NDMA) to be proactively followed.<br />
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Visiting Pakistan's Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said, "We have
again got re-engaged with India in a very proactive manner in the last few
month, in order to increase the trade between the two countries".<br />
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"The non-discriminatory market access (NDMA) is a new term we have coined
for mutual expansion of the trade. We wish to minimise the negative list of
both the countries," Dar said.<br />
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He said a Pakistani government committee headed by him, also reviewed the future
road map of trade with India.<br />
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"We have recommended to the Cabinet and to the Prime Minister that this
NMDA is to be proactively followed," he said.<br />
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In his address to the US Institute of Peace, a Washington-based think-tank, Dar
said, "Whosoever they elect let me assure you, the spade work is there,
Indian establishment know the entire detail. So as soon as a new government in
India is sworn in, we will be happy to re-engage the Indian government on this
subject".<br />
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Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently deferred a decision on this important
issue during the duration of the elections, which started on April 7.<br />
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Dar said the PML-N lead by Sharif, was the one which triggered the process of
dialogue with India way back in 1999.<br />
<br />
But the process could not be completed and accomplish its goal as a result of
the coup in Islamabad that resulted in an overthrowing of the
democratically-elected government.<br />
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"Of course, the dialogue was at a very advance stage, but certainly we
believed that it is not the time that we should conclude this deal with the
Congress (government), with the sitting government, because we might be seen
that we are becoming partisan to the Indian general elections," he said.<br />
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Even a tentative meeting of the cabinet was cancelled, for this very reason, he
said. --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Pakistan to Re-Engage With India as Soon as New Govt. Is Formed

WASHINGTON (NNN-PTI) -- Pakistan is looking to re-engage with India as soon as the new government is formed in New Delhi post the ongoing...

Russia Invites Syrian Opposition for Talks

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW</span></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-QNA) -- <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region> has sent an invitation for talks to the
head of the opposition Syrian National <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Coalition</st1:city>,
 <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s Deputy
Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"<st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>
is ready to hold talks over the 21-month-old Syrian conflict with National
Coalition head Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib either in <st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city>
or any foreign location like <st1:city w:st="on">Geneva</st1:city> or <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cairo</st1:place></st1:city>," Bogdanov
said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The invitation has been passed on.
Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib has received it," Bogdanov said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The UN-Arab League envoy for <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>, Lakhdar Brahimi, is scheduled to arrive
in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city> on
Saturday to discuss the Syrian crisis with top Russian officials. -- NNN-QNA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Russia Invites Syrian Opposition for Talks

MOSCOW (NNN-QNA) -- Russia has sent an invitation for talks to the head of the opposition Syrian National Coalition , Russia ’s Depu...

Opposition Demands Expert Evaluation of Chavez Health

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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MEXICO</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti) - Venezuelan
opposition politicians demanded the authorities to allow an expert evaluation
of whether President Hugo Chavez is fit for presidential duties, Mexican media
reported on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The opposition said official reports about
the health of the president, who underwent his fourth operation to remove
cancerous tissue in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Cuba</st1:country-region></st1:place>
on December 11, were vague.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Carlos Vecchio demanded the country’s
Supreme Court to set up a commission of doctors who would evaluate the
president’s health condition. He also said that a group of lawmakers should
visit <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Cuba</st1:country-region></st1:place>
for an unbiased report on Chavez’s health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“We are being told that the president calls
[Vice-President Nicolas] Maduro. However, after his previous surgeries in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cuba</st1:place></st1:country-region> Chavez
always made direct calls to [Venezuelan state TV] VTV. He does not do it
anymore,” Vecchio said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Opposition leader Julio Borges added: “There
is no information, no desire to tell the truth to Venezuelans.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Chavez, 58, who has ruled <st1:country-region w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:country-region> for 13 years, underwent three
operations for cancer and four courses of chemotherapy in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Cuba</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:country-region></st1:place> within a year. He agreed
to the fourth surgery after recent tests had revealed malignant cells.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He is scheduled to be inaugurated to a new
six-year presidential term on January 10, 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Opposition Demands Expert Evaluation of Chavez Health

MEXICO (RIA Novosti) - Venezuelan opposition politicians demanded the authorities to allow an expert evaluation of whether President H...

Morsi Urges Egyptian Opposition to Engage After Constitution Enacted

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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By Edward Yeranian<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="506" scrolling="no" src="http://www.voanews.com/flashembed.aspx?t=phg&id=1570415&w=640&h=506&skin=embeded" width="640"></iframe>

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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In an address on national TV Wednesday,
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi congratulated Egyptians for voting to approve
a new constitution and urged them to unite and work toward a better future. The
address came one day after he signed the controversial new constitution into
law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Morsi says that by approving the
constitution, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region> was
moving from its “<st1:placename w:st="on">First</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Republic</st1:placetype>,” to a new “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Second</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Republic</st1:placetype></st1:place>.”
Without mentioning the outcry and protests over how the constitution was
passed, Morsi thanked those who participated in what he called a free and fair
referendum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He said the Egyptian people chose to approve
the constitution by free will and under conditions of transparency, complete
judicial supervision, and protection by the army.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Opposition charges<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Opposition leaders claim that the vote was
tainted by numerous irregularities and fraud. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s electoral commission,
however, dismissed most of those charges Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Morsi said he has no “desire to cling to
power” and that legislative authority has now been transferred to the Shoura</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Council, the upper house of the
Egyptian parliament. Morsi said he has made mistakes, but that his decisions
were “made before God and in the interests of the nation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The president said <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> is facing
serious economic difficulties and called on his countrymen to “work hard and
increase production.” He repeated a call for national dialogue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Shoura Council met Wednesday to consider
various pieces of legislation after the new constitution gave it legislative
power, pending the election of a new lower house in two months.  Among that legislation is a bill restricting
financial dealings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs
Mohamed Mahsoub told the council that the bill should be approved quickly to
prevent the flight of capital and speculation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He said urgent legislation is needed to
fight corruption and recover stolen money, along with a law to prevent
speculation and stop those trying to sabotage state companies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Economy falters<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Egypt</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'s council of ministers met
Wednesday to discuss the economic crisis facing the country. The new
constitution did little to resolve that crisis, say many analysts, but appeared
instead to intensify it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Said Sadek, who teaches political sociology
at the <st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype>
in <st1:city w:st="on">Cairo</st1:city>, said that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s political opposition
appears to have decided not to mount major protests over the constitution and
will instead wait for the economic crisis to fuel further protests:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The battle of the constitution is over, but
other battles are coming. A lot of people from the revolution opposition
believe that the government has mishandled the political situation and when
those who voted for this constitution realize that what they got is more
taxation and more economic hardship, you'll have a bigger pool of opposition,”
said Sadek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A $4.8-billion loan from the International
Monetary Fund was delayed amid <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
ongoing political crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ratings agency Standard and Poor's
downgraded the country's long-term credit rating on Monday. Ahram Online
reported that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region></st1:place>
is now preventing travelers from taking more than $10,000 out of the country. ---VOA
News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Morsi Urges Egyptian Opposition to Engage After Constitution Enacted

By Edward Yeranian In an address on national TV Wednesday, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi congratulated Egyptians for votin...

Influential Egyptian Judges to Boycott Referendum on Constitution

Influential Egyptian Judges to Boycott Referendum on Constitution

An influential group of Egyptian judges says it will not oversee a December 15 referendum on a new constitution, a move that could ...

India Hopes UN Vote Will Help Resume Palestine, Israel Talks

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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">UNITED NATIONS (NNN-Bernama) -- India has
expressed hope that Palestine's enhanced status at the United Nations will pave
the way for resumption of "serious and direct" talks with Israel as
it voiced concern that the continued impasse between the two parties over
settlement activities threaten the two-state solution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> was among the 138 nations that
voted in favour of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Palestine</st1:place></st1:city>
at a historic UN General Assembly vote that upgraded the status of the
Palestinian Authority to non-member observer state from an entity, Press Trust
of India (PTI) reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The <st1:country-region w:st="on">United
 States</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>
and were among only nine nations in the 193-member UN body that voted against <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Palestine</st1:place></st1:city> in Thursday's
vote.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We hope that the vote in the General
Assembly will pave the way for the resumption of serious, direct talks between
the Palestinians and the Israelis,"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India's Permanent Representative to the UN
Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri said at a General Assembly session here on Friday
on the 'Question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East.'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Puri regretted that while democratic
aspirations of people in several Arab countries was being addressed through
national political processes over the last two years, the Palestinian question
and related Arab-Israeli issues remained largely un-addressed and unresolved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"For more than two years now, there
have been no direct talks between <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>
and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Palestine</st1:place></st1:city>.
Meanwhile, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories has been
deteriorating due to settlement activities in the West Bank and <st1:place w:st="on">East Jerusalem</st1:place>," Puri said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"These activities are creating new
realities on the ground, and threaten the very premise of a two-state
solution," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Settlements, roadblocks and the related
infrastructure of occupation have exacerbated the humanitarian problems of the
Palestinian people and are adversely affecting the normal functioning of state
institutions, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Palestinian Authority is also facing a
severe financial crisis that could erode significant progress made by it in
building state institutions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">With the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:city> blockade entering its sixth year, the
humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate and essential services,
economic activities and infrastructure development have been disrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We strongly condemn the violence and
deeply regret the loss of human lives during the recent hostilities. We hope
both the parties will uphold the ceasefire agreement and implement its
provisions in good faith," Puri said referring to the Nov 21 ceasefire
between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas which brought an end to eight
days of violence that left an estimated 158 Palestinians dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tensions had escalated in the region earlier
this month following rocket attacks against <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>
from <st1:city w:st="on">Gaza</st1:city> and Israeli air-strikes on <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Puri also lamented that <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Palestine</st1:place></st1:city>'s application for full membership
of the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">United Nations submitted more than a year
ago had not evinced any positive action from the Security Council, despite
overwhelming support from the UN member-states.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Reiterating <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>'s
continued support for the Palestinian cause, Puri congratulated the leadership
and people of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Palestine</st1:place></st1:city>
on winning the General Assembly vote.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"While we have long supported the
aspirations of the Palestinian people and leadership for the full membership to
the United Nations, the vote in the General Assembly is an important milestone
towards that goal," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Noting <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>'s
long history of solidarity with the Palestinian people, Puri said <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> was the first non-Arab country to
recognise the state of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Palestine</st1:place></st1:city>
nearly 25 years ago. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>

India Hopes UN Vote Will Help Resume Palestine, Israel Talks

UNITED NATIONS (NNN-Bernama) -- India has expressed hope that Palestine's enhanced status at the United Nations will pave the way f...

Sudan Government Arrest 12 over 'Coup Plot'

Sudan Government Arrest 12 over 'Coup Plot'

KHARTOUM (RIA Novosti) - The Sudanese government arrested 12 top military officers on Thursday including former national security ser...

No Criminal Charges over Anti-Putin Activist ‘Torture’

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 16.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW</span></st1:city></st1:place><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (Marc Bennetts, RIA Novosti) – Russian
investigators refused on Thursday to open a criminal investigation into
allegations by a leftist political activist that he was tortured into
confessing to a plot to overthrow President Vladimir Putin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Leonid Razvozzhayev, a member of the Left Front political
movement, made international headlines in mid-October when he said he had been
abducted by "masked men" after applying for political asylum in the
Ukrainian capital of <st1:city w:st="on">Kiev</st1:city> and spirited away to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city> by his kidnappers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Razvozzhayev also told human rights workers who visited him in
a <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city>
pre-trial detention center that his abductors had threatened to kill him and
his children if he did not sign a detailed confession.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“A number of witnesses were questioned and their testimony
indicated the unreliability of Razvozzhayev’s claims about his abduction and
torture,” said Vladimir Markin, spokesperson for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s Investigation Committee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The charges against Razvozzhayev, an aide to opposition
lawmaker Ilya Ponomaryov, stem from grainy footage aired by the pro-Kremlin
television channel NTV in early October.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The channel said the footage also showed Left Front leader
Sergei Udaltsov, one of the leaders of the anti-Putin street movement,
Razvozzhayev, and another activist from the socialist group, Konstantin
Lebedev, discussing the plot with an influential Georgian politician.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">All three men have been charged and deny the accusations. Lebedev
has been in custody since early last month, while Udaltsov has been ordered not
to leave <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The Investigation Committee investigated itself, so it’s
hardly surprising that they declined to bring charges,” Ponomaryov, a
co-founder of the Left Front, told RIA Novosti.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Investigators also said Razvozzhayev refused to take a lie
detector test over his claims that he was forced to sign the confession, which
he has since retracted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The development comes a day after investigators brought
additional charges of armed robbery against the 39-year-old left-wing activist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Razvozzhayev was charged on Wednesday with robbing a
businessman of 500 fur hats and video cameras in the East Siberian city of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Angarsk</st1:city></st1:place> in 1997. He faces
up to 12 years behind bars if found guilty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Investigators said Razvozzhayev and his alleged accomplices in
the robbery brandished a hunting rifle and two handguns. He said the charges
had been brought after the victim’s wife complained that the crime had still
not been solved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“This is simply another attempt to blacken his name and the
name of the Left Front,” Ponomaryov, the opposition lawmaker, said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Opposition figurehead Alexei Navalny is also facing ten years
behind bars after being charged this summer with large-scale embezzlement.
Navalny has called the charges “absurd.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Putin has denied a clampdown is underway against opposition to
his rule, saying “everyone must comply with Russian law.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

No Criminal Charges over Anti-Putin Activist ‘Torture’

MOSCOW (Marc Bennetts, RIA Novosti) – Russian investigators refused on Thursday to open a criminal investigation into allegations by...

Karzai Accuses US of Violating Detainee Pact

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Afghan
President Hamid Karzai is accusing the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place> of violating an
agreement to transfer more than 3,000 prisoners at a controversial military
prison to the Afghan government.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
September, the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> formally
handed over control of Bagram prison north of <st1:city w:st="on">Kabul</st1:city>
to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
At the time, Karzai hailed the transfer as a victory for his country's
sovereignty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But
during a meeting late Sunday in <st1:city w:st="on">Kabul</st1:city>, the
Afghan leader said he heard reports by the attorney general and military police
commander that "even prisoners who were presumed innocent by the court are
still being held" and that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
forces continue to imprison people "against the provisions of the MoU
already signed."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
president's spokesman, Aimal Faizi, told reporters on Monday that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> forces are
holding more than 70 prisoners at Bagram "despite court orders for their
release."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Karzai
called the "status quo a serious breach of the Memorandum of Understanding
signed between <st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region>
and the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>."  In a statement issued by his office, Karzai
assigned the defense minister, attorney general, and commander of Bagram prison
"to take all required and urgent measures to ensure a full Afghanization
of the prison affairs and a complete transfer of its authority."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">There
was no immediate official comment from the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">U.S.</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> and Afghan officials last week began talks
on a bilateral security agreement that will determine how many American
military personnel will remain in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> after international
combat forces leave the country by the end of 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
negotiations, which are expected to take several months, are also expected to
focus on the sensitive issue of whether <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> troops can be prosecuted under
Afghan law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">President
Karzai has long said that any remaining American military personnel should be
prosecuted in local courts.  <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state> has stressed that any crimes committed should
be tried in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
  States</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Failure
to strike a similar deal on immunity for <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
troops in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place>
was a factor in ending the military presence in that country. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>

Karzai Accuses US of Violating Detainee Pact

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is accusing the United States of violating an agreement to transfer more than 3,000 prisoners at a controv...

China Watching Obama's Burma Visit

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By
Scott Stearns<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Barack
Obama is the first <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
president to visit <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
It is part of a trip to Asia meant to reinforce <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state>'s
so-called "Asia pivot" which has raised concerns in <st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city>
about greater <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
influence in the region.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">U.S.</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> officials say the president's visit
recognizes the decision by Burmese leaders to embark on a path of reform and
democratization after decades of repression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tom
Donilon, Obama's national security advisor, says the president believes
engagement is the best way to encourage further reforms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"There’s
a lot more to be done, and we are not going to miss this moment in terms of our
opportunity to push this along and to try to lock in as much reform and lock in
this path forward as best we can," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Donilon
says the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>
is encouraging Burmese authorities to collaborate further with both the
international community and domestic civil society. It is part of what the
Obama administration calls a "rebalancing toward the Asia-Pacific" -
a move toward greater <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
military, diplomatic, and commercial presence in Asia that has caused anxiety
in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The
idea is to persuade the Chinese that the American rebalancing is good for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>,"
said Michael Pillsbury, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute who worked for
former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
says Chinese leaders see the <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region>
visit as further evidence of <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
deception about the aims of its <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place> pivot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The
<st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> is portrayed basically
to Chinese youth and to Chinese university students and I am afraid to Chinese
officials as a very crafty, dangerous, highly-coordinated, ruthless, cunning
power that in many ways <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
would like to emulate," he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> "Every move the American government is
taking, including Obama's visit to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region>
is now clearly taken as a geo-strategic move," said professor Xiang
Lanxin, who chairs international affairs studies at <st1:city w:st="on">Shanghai</st1:city>'s
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Fudan</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>. "It is not something
promoting <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:place></st1:country-region>
democracy. That's not even the issue here. The issue is to wean <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Burma</st1:place></st1:country-region> away from the Chinese
strategic borders. You keep on saying this has nothing to do with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>. But the
Chinese exactly think everything has to do with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>. You keep on using this kind
of language to try to reduce the psychological burden on the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> side.
It's not working."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Michael
Pillsbury says <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>'s view
of President Obama's trip to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region>
shows how much the Asia pivot has roiled relations between <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state>
and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"What
I think both Professor Xiang and I are trying to convey is the idea of two
sides with some degree of distrust, even paranoia, each focusing on events and
activities that may in fact be innocent but no one quite knowing," he
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">U.S.</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> officials say they have discussed with
their Chinese counterparts the reforms they would like to see in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Burma</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and believe it is a shared goal that is in the interests of everyone in the
region. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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China Watching Obama's Burma Visit

By Scott Stearns Barack Obama is the first U.S. president to visit Burma . It is part of a trip to Asia meant to reinforce Washing...

India Expects Stability in Its Relations with China

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PHNOM
PENH, Cambodia (NNN-Bernama) -- India expects continuity and stability in its
relations with China, its largest trading partner, after the once-in-a-decade
leadership change in the Communist nation, India's Commerce Minister Anand
Sharma said on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Replying
to a question on the change of leadership in <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
and whether he anticipated its impact on relations with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the
Commerce and Industry Minister said he expected "continuity and stability
in the bilateral ties".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Sharma
is accompanying Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Phnom Penh</st1:place></st1:city> for the Asean and East Asia
Summits, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">However,
Sharma refused to pre-judge whether the new Chinese leader Xi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Jinping
was a conservative. Xi was appointed as the General Secretary of the ruling
Communist Party of China this week and is expected to become Chinese President
next March.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Speaking
ahead of a meeting between Manmohan Singh and the outgoing Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao, Sharma said the Indian Prime Minister is expected to seek larger
investments from <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>,
particularly in the National Manufacturing and Investment Zones being set up in
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The
meeting between the Prime Ministers will cover all issues," Sharma said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
meeting between Manmohan and Wen, who have met a number of times during the
last few years, could be their last as <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> has replaced its old guard
with a new set of leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Sharma
said that in the past, India has flagged, both at meetings at PrimeMinister
level and Commerce Minister level, the issue of a "fair trade
balance"and market access for India in IT and pharmaceutical sectors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"But
it doesn't mean these are the only issues. We consider <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> as an
important partner, largest trading partner," Sharma added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China
is India's largest trade partner but the trade deficit between the two
economies has ballooned to US$23 billion in China's favour in October this
year, as India continues to import more than what it exports to the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> have a set a target of taking
their total trade to US$100 billion by 2015. The total bilateral trade reached
a high of US$73.90 billion last year but the figure dropped to US$55.6 billion
in the first 10 months of this year, a drop of 8 per cent. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>

India Expects Stability in Its Relations with China

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (NNN-Bernama) -- India expects continuity and stability in its relations with China, its largest trading partner, ...

Secretary-General Ban congratulates US President Barack Obama on re-election

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<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">US President Barack Obama at<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">UN Headquarters in September 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">UN Photo/Mark Garten</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">UN
News – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warmly congratulates
President Barack Obama on his re-election as President of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>, a spokesperson for
the world body's head said overnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The
Secretary-General looks forward to continuing to work with President Obama and
his administration in the spirit of the enduring partnership between the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>
and the United Nations,” Mr. Ban's spokesperson added in a statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">According
to media reports, while some results have yet to be finalized, President Obama
defeated his opponent, Mitt Romney, with 303 Electoral College votes compared
to Mr. Romney's 206 Electoral College votes. Under the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> presidential voting system, a
candidate needs to secure at least 270 Electoral College votes to secure
victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Many
challenges lie ahead – from ending the bloodshed in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>,
to getting the <st1:place w:st="on">Middle East</st1:place> peace process back
on track, to promoting sustainable development and tackling the challenges
posed by climate change,” the spokesperson noted. “All will require strong
multilateral cooperation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The
Secretary-General and the United Nations will continue to count on the active
engagement of the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
  States</st1:place></st1:country-region> on these and other crucial issues as
it strives to meet the hopes and expectations of people around the world,” he
added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Secretary-General Ban congratulates US President Barack Obama on re-election

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with US President Barack Obama at UN Headquarters in September 2012. UN Photo/Mark Garten U...

Democracy Never Achieved By Guns - Iranian President

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">BALI,
Indonesia  (NNN-IRNA) -- President of
Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that democracy will be established only
through global commitment to justice and freedom, saying it will never comes
out of guns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Addressing
the fifth annual Bali Democracy Forum here on Thursday, the president described
democracy as the latest human achievement that can be directed to
administration of justice throughout the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
a real democratic government, he said, the governors should move towards
justice and freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
then referred to occupation of Palestinian lands and said it is the obvious
example of colonialism and blatant violation of human rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Massacre
of innocent people in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> as well as broad
suppression of freedom and legitimate rights of nations along with terrorism
and establishment of military and intelligence bases of big powers aimed at
imposing backwardness on other nations is among other examples of colonial
approaches and violation of rights of nations, the president reiterated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Condemning
production and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear
bombs, he said such moves that threaten lives of world nations are other
examples of human rights violations. -- NNN-IRNA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Democracy Never Achieved By Guns - Iranian President

BALI, Indonesia (NNN-IRNA) -- President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that democracy will be established only through global co...

Britain Opens Direct Talks with Syrian Opposition

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By
Selah Hennessy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Finding
a solution to Syria’s civil war should be a priority for Britain and the United
States, following the U.S. president's re-election, says British Prime Minister
David Cameron. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region>
says it will open talks with armed Syrian rebels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Cameron
was in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Jordan</st1:country-region> visiting
Syrian refugees at Zaatari camp, which houses about 30,000 people who fled
war-torn <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
congratulated U.S. President Barack Obama on his re-election and said one of
the first things he hopes to speak with Obama about is how their countries must
do more to solve <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We
want Assad to go, we want to see a peaceful, political transition and a safe
country for the future. But right now, the international community has to
recognize, that what we have done is not enough," said Cameron.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
an interview Tuesday, Cameron said he would support giving safe passage to
President Bashar al-Assad. On Wednesday, he added he would like to see Assad
face full international justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Durham University</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> expert Daniel Newman said Cameron’s visit
to the refugees is significant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It
sends a very powerful message to the Syrian opposition that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region> is very
much engaged with the situation and is taking a very active role,” said Newman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile,
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he has directed British officials
have direct contact with military figures in the armed Syrian opposition. He
said the rebels would not be armed and any contact would take place outside <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Newman
said Hague’s statement is not a change in policy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“What
was there in the shadows, if you like, has moved out into the light of day,”
said Newman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
noted that the comments from Hague and Cameron demonstrate <st1:country-region w:st="on">Britain</st1:country-region> is pushing for more engagement in an
effort to resolve <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
crisis. An estimated 36,000 people have died in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s conflict. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Britain Opens Direct Talks with Syrian Opposition

By Selah Hennessy Finding a solution to Syria’s civil war should be a priority for Britain and the United States, following the U.S...

China's Hu Issues Warning About Corruption

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By
William Ide<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NNN---
Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of
China (CPC) and Chinese president, delivers a keynote address during the
opening ceremony of the 18th CPC National Congress at the Great Hall of the
People in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s capital on 7 November 2012.
Photo courtesy xinhua---NNN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">’s once-in-a-decade leadership transition began
Thursday, with a warning from the country’s outgoing leader. In a long and wide-ranging
speech to mark the beginning of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
18th party congress, President Hu Jintao warned that the party and even the
country are facing fatal challenges if it does not do more to deal with the
problem of corruption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
his final remarks as leader of the political party that single-handedly rules 1.3
billion people and charts the course for the world’s second-largest economy, President
Hu had a warning for the Chinese Communist party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Opposing
corruption and building an honest and clean government is a clear stance the
party has been adhering to and is an important political issue the people have
been paying attention to. If we fail to handle this issue [corruption] well, it
could prove fatal to the party and even cause the collapse of the party and the
fall of the state," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Hu
made his remarks at <st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city>’s massive Great Hall
of the People, during the opening of the 18th party congress, a major political
event in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>
which is held once every five years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">His
comments could not have been more timely. 
This year’s meeting has been largely overshadowed by a murder and
corruption scandal involving one of the party’s once-rising stars Bo Xilai.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
remarks resonated with Yu Jingzi, a delegate from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Shanghai</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It's
fair to say that it's not just this year that has seen an attention-grabbing
case involving a senior official like this one,"Yu said. "The Chinese
Communist party, being a big ruling party, always pays attention to this issue
and is paying more and more attention to it. Of course, we need to do a lot
more work on this issue."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
party is clearly aware of the problem and, according to statistics published in
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s
state media; the country’s disciplinary system has handled more than half a
million corruption cases since the last party congress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">However,
legal analysts note that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
anti-corruption efforts focus largely on local or lower-ranking officials and
rarely reach all the way to the top echelons of the party’s leadership.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Hu
says no one is above the law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Communist party expelled Bo Xilai earlier this week, just as the country’s
roughly 2,300 delegates were arriving to attend the congress. Bo has been
accused of using his position to seek profits for others and of taking bribes
either personally or through family members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But
corruption is not the only challenge <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> is facing. Not only is <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s economy
slowing in the face of a weak global economy and growing domestic debt, but
social unrest is on the rise as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
public is increasingly distrustful of the government’s pledges to stamp out
corruption and calls for more accountability and clean governance are growing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
word, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
leaders acknowledge that the party needs to listen more to the public’s wants
and concerns, but issues such as basic rights are still largely ignored.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Human
Rights Watch Deputy Director Phil Robertson says authorities resist a broader
discussion of human rights, because they fear where it could lead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The
Chinese government is very concerned about human rights issues in the sense
that if it addresses these issues it is opening a can of worms," he said.
"It has to discuss he many issues related to land, related to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tibet</st1:place></st1:country-region>, to
Xinjiang, related to the day to day rights abuses that Chinese citizens face
trying to use the Internet."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
the eve of the party congress, a young single mother and three young monks set
themselves on fire in protest of <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>’s
policies in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tibet</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Security has been ramped up in <st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city> ahead of
the congress but, despite that, one woman in her 30s was able to hold a brief
unexplained protest in <st1:place w:st="on">Tiananmen Square</st1:place> before
being dragged off by police.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Although
his speech did not address the growing range of discontent that Chinese are
expressing, Hu urged the party to work to double <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s GDP (gross domestic product)
and per capita income in the country’s big cities and countryside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">’s outgoing leader also spoke about the
country’s need to take a more assertive role in the region and become a
maritime power. When speaking about the military, he said <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> should be
prepared for “local war” in the information age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Skirmishes
between <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> and its
neighbors along its coast and in the <st1:place w:st="on">South China Sea</st1:place>
have been growing in recent years.  Although
this has raised concern among some of <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>’s
neighbors, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>
insists its rise and intentions are peaceful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Following
this Congress, Hu will step aside and Vice President Xi Jinping will take over
as head of the Chinese Communist party. Early next year, Xi is expected to
assume Hu’s role as president, as well. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>

China's Hu Issues Warning About Corruption

By William Ide NNN--- Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese ...

Obama Defeats Romney

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By Kent Klein<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClAp-4uelFtWj6aiLazyrlXqabPOwa7lXkrEeriziDSIPIwRnVMbHqnafyWaLfpRMgWlL-iIjQFsUgiXsDThiwY02O-ldmu5d_JdpnToTso2-l0fGJpkdhScc4DJ_nZ4DYWthgTKZ5tk/s1600/A7EiDWcCYAAZT1D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClAp-4uelFtWj6aiLazyrlXqabPOwa7lXkrEeriziDSIPIwRnVMbHqnafyWaLfpRMgWlL-iIjQFsUgiXsDThiwY02O-ldmu5d_JdpnToTso2-l0fGJpkdhScc4DJ_nZ4DYWthgTKZ5tk/s1600/A7EiDWcCYAAZT1D.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Photo © Four more years<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><a href="http://pic.twitter.com/bAJE6Vom" target="_blank" title="Open this link in a new window"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">pic.twitter.com/bAJE6Vom</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Barack
Obama has won a second four-year term as president of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>.  The Democratic incumbent defeated Republican
Mitt Romney in Tuesday's <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
presidential election.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">America</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'s first African-American president won more
than the 270 electoral votes he needed to secure four more years in the White
House.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">After
clinching the victory, Obama told a crowd of thousands of supporters in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:city> he is more determined
and more inspired than ever to tackle the country's challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"You
voted for action, not politics as usual," he said. "You elected us to
focus on your jobs, not ours.  And, in
the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working
with the leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve
together."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /></span></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="429" scrolling="no" src="http://www.voanews.com/flashembed.aspx?t=vid&id=1540956&w=640&h=429&skin=embeded" width="640"></iframe>

<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The
president says he will work in his second term to reduce the </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> government's budget deficit, reform the tax
code, reform the nation's immigration system and reduce </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">'s
dependence on foreign oil.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Obama
congratulated his opponent on a hard-fought campaign and applauded Romney and
his family for their tradition of public service.  He says he will reach out to Republicans to
seek solutions to the country's problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"In
the weeks ahead I also look forward to sitting down with Governor Romney to
talk about where we can work together to move this country forward," said
Obama.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Former
Massachusetts Governor Romney, speaking to supporters in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:city>, conceded the election a short time
earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I
have just called President Obama to congratulate him on his victory.  His supporters and his campaign also deserve
congratulations," said Romney. "I wish all of them well, but
particularly the president, the first lady and their daughters."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Romney
says he and his running mate, Representative Paul Ryan, gave their all in the
campaign and he thanked their supporters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I
so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a
different direction.  But the nation
chose another leader and so Ann and I join with you to earnestly pray for him
and for this great nation," Romney said. "Thank you and God bless <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>.  You guys are the best.  Thank you so much."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Obama
won almost all of the so-called "swing states" that he and Romney
both needed for victory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">U.S.</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> presidential elections are not decided by
the popular vote, but by the Electoral College, in which each state's influence
on the outcome approximates its population.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Both
candidates made a final push for votes Tuesday, almost until the polls
closed.  Turnout was reported high in
many parts of the country, with some voters standing in line for hours, despite
a record amount of early voting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="429" scrolling="no" src="http://www.voanews.com/flashembed.aspx?t=vid&id=1540932&w=640&h=429&skin=embeded" width="640"></iframe>

<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Although
the economy was the main issue of the campaign, Obama was the first president
in many decades to be re-elected while the nation was suffering from high
unemployment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile,
Republicans retained control of the House of Representatives in Tuesday's
voting, but Democrats blocked the Republicans' effort to take control of the
Senate, where roughly one-third of the 100 seats were up for election.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Democrats
will replace Republican senators in <st1:state w:st="on">Massachusetts</st1:state>
and <st1:state w:st="on">Indiana</st1:state>, an independent will succeed a
Republican in <st1:state w:st="on">Maine</st1:state>, and in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Connecticut</st1:state></st1:place>, a Democrat will take the place
of retiring independent Senator Joe Lieberman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Japanese-born
Democrat Mazie Hirono, who was elected in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>, will be the first Buddhist U.S.
Senator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">And,
the Senate will have its first openly gay member, with the election of Democrat
Tammy Baldwin in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:state></st1:place>.
---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Obama Defeats Romney

By Kent Klein Photo © Four more years pic.twitter.com/bAJE6Vom Barack Obama has won a second four-year term as president o...

Continuity the Key for World Leaders as Obama Returns

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW</span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti) --- World leaders
congratulated US President Barack Obama on Wednesday on his return to the White
House for a second presidential term after an election victory that was far
from certain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Chinese
President Hu Jintao hailed the “hard work of the Chinese and American sides”
over Obama’s first term.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Maintaining
the healthy and stable development of China-US relations not only benefits the
people of the two countries and is in the common interests of the people of the
two countries, but also helps to maintain peace, stability and development in
the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole,” the Chinese leader said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Japanese
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, whose country is <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state>’s
biggest ally in Asia told reporters that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:city></st1:place>
“looks forward to continued cooperation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Western
leaders also welcomed Obama’s reelection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Warm
congratulations to my friend Barack Obama,” tweeted British Prime Minister
David Cameron. “Look forward to continuing to work together.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Australian
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said: “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> leadership remains vital to
meeting global challenges; international financial stability and global
economic growth, peace and security, and the impacts of our changing climate.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the organization looked forward
to “continuing the close cooperation established with President Obama over
these last four years, to further strengthening our bilateral ties and to
jointly addressing global challenges, including in the fields of security and
economy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said “the strategic alliance
between <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> and the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> is
stronger than ever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“I
will continue to work with President Obama in order to assure the interests
that are vital to the security of the citizens of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
head of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the military alliance expects
“continued cooperation with Barack Obama so NATO remains effective against new
threats.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But
congratulations from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city></st1:place>
were muted, with President Vladimir Putin preferring to wait and send a
telegram rather than call Obama in the hours after his election victory over
Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Putin’s spokesman said, however, that the
Kremlin was, “in general, extremely positive” about Obama’s election victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>

Continuity the Key for World Leaders as Obama Returns

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) --- World leaders congratulated US President Barack Obama on Wednesday on his return to the White House for a secon...