China no longer top trading partner of US
Washington: As a result of their ongoing trade, China is no longer the top trading partner of the United States and has been replaced by America's neighbours Mexico and Canada, according to a media report.
In the first half of the year, Mexico was the top trading partner of the United States followed by Canada, the latest official data reveals, according to The Wall Street Journal.
As a result of the ongoing trade war between the US and China, imports from China to the US dropped by 12 per cent and America's export to China fell by 19 per cent, the daily said.
After coming to power, Trump has imposed 25 per cent import tariff on chinese products worth USD 250 billion. Another 10 per cent tarrif on products worth USD 300 billion will come into effect on September 1.
Trump has so far maintained that China has been unfair to the US. China has also taken several retaliatory steps.
According to a Commerce Department report, the total value of bilateral goods exchanged with China fell 14 per cent in the first half of the year to USD 271.04 billion, The Wall Street Journal said. `
"After holding the top spot among US trading partners from 2015 to 2018, China now sits at No. 3 and now smaller than Mexico for the first time since 2005," it said.
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
