US President Barack Obama sought to charm Asia-Pacific leaders this week with Australian slang and memories from his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia in his bid to boost US ties with the fast-growing region.
The top goal of the nine-day trip, which took Obama away from Washington just as US budget battles were intensifying, was to cement a foreign policy ''pivot'' towards Asia that could open the door to more American exports and jobs.The Democratic president, struggling in the polls after bitter fights with Republicans in Congress, geared his Asia message to US voters who will decide next November whether to give him another four years in office.
In Honolulu, Australia and the Indonesian island of Bali, Obama sought out every chance to talk about America's export potential, and the White House previewed Boeing and GE deals with Asia that it said could sustain 130,000 US jobs. Hitching the lackluster US economy to the world's fastest growing region could be a ''win-win'' for American companies and workers as well as for the increasingly affluent Asian consumers who might buy their products, Obama said.
He also sharpened his tone toward China in a strategy that might help him counter criticism from Republican hopeful Mitt Romney, who has accused Obama of being willing to only ''whisper'' to Beijing about US trade concerns. 'KEY GOALS' Obama was clearly at ease in Asia, especially in Bali where he marveled at the island's development in the years since he was there writing his book ''Dreams From My Father.'' He greeted leaders at a Friday dinner with ''Selamat Malam,'' drawing from the Bahasa Indonesia he learned as a boy in Jakarta, and was welcomed at a fundraising event in Honolulu as ''Keiki o ka 'aina'' - child of the land.
As he left Bali on Saturday to return to a still-divided Washington, White House officials seemed confident the messages from his Asia tour would resonate well at home. ''From our perspective, we've been able to positively advance each of the key goals that we had for the course of this trip. And I think that's been in the US interest,'' said Tom Donilon, Obama's top national security adviser. In addition to the trade accord, Obama also unveiled a new military partnership with Asia and seized on a diplomatic opening with Myanmar by announcing that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would soon visit the reclusive country.
Casting himself as a strong leader is fundamental to Obama's hopes for re-election a year from now. His leadership on China is a particularly potent political issue. Obama acknowledged in a meeting in Honolulu with Chinese President Hu Jintao that Americans are increasingly frustrated with what they see as an unfair approach by Beijing on currency and trade policy. Romney has accused Obama of soft-pedaling the US concerns about trade with China. ''Who can blame the Chinese for ignoring our complaints when the status quo has served them so well?'' Romney asked in an opinion piece in the Politico newspaper.
As if on cue, Obama, who was criticised for taking an overly accommodating approach in a 2009 trip to Beijing, called the US-Chinese relationship ''off-kilter'' and suggested China was now too ''grown up'' to flout international trade rules. Beijing seemed to find the shift jarring and it was unclear whether Obama managed to ease the tensions in conversations he had near the end of the trip with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
BUDGET BATTLES When Obama returns to the White House, one of his first orders of business will be to get up to speed on the struggles of the congressional ''super committee.'' The panel of Democratic and Republican lawmakers is trying to craft a deal to cut the US budget deficit by 1.2 trillion dollars with a deadline looming on Wednesday, the day before the Thanksgiving holiday. Few in Washington are hopeful the committee can break its impasse and a failure would be a blow to both Obama's Democrats and opposition Republicans.
In Hawaii, he even hinted that the budget battles and his push for to pass initiatives on jobs could disrupt his plans to return to Hawaii for a family vacation in December. He also referred jokingly to the stalemate during his visit to Canberra, Australia's capital, where he said he was eager to introduce ''ear-bashing'' -- an Australian expression for lecturing somebody -- to Washington's vernacular.
Some have questioned whether the US fiscal strains could limit America's ability to serve as a counterweight to China, especially if the congressional ''super committee'' fails to reach a deal and defense budgets suffer blunt cuts. But with Europe mired in debt crisis, both Democrats and Republicans are clearly focused on Asia as a key economic partner for the United States. Foreign policy experts say that is unlikely to change no matter who wins the 2012 election.
''It is a safe bet that Obama and his successors - despite powerful fiscal and political constraints at home - will be able to follow through on plans to bulk up America's presence,'' said Charles Kupchan, a Georgetown University professor.

  Eminent personalities from diverse fields would be present at the inauguration of Virasat-e-Khalsa, earlier named as Khalsa Heritage Complex, at Anandpur Sahib on November 25. Preparations for the ceremony are on in full swing and the state government is leaving no stone unturned to make it a memorable event.
Among the invitees are the five Sikh High Priests, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasimi from Darul Uloom Deoband, Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini and renowned singer Asha Bhosle. The political guests include BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, Chief Ministers of a few states and eminent politicians of Punjabi origin who have made the cut in Canada and other foreign countries.
Mian Imran Masood, a former Education Minister in Pakistan, has also been sent an invitation. After the inauguration ceremony, there would be a recitation of 'shabad' by Asha Bhosle, followed by brief speeches by a few religious personalities. The next would be a traditional Khalsa parade by Nihangs astride horses and a "Gatka" display. And the event would conclude with a shabad recitation by another renowned singer, Jaspinder Narula. The entry to the inaugural function, which would last for about half an hour, however, would be restricted.
After the inauguration, a public function would be at Hola Mohalla ground in the rear of Gurdwara Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib. In the evening, yet another function would be held where a play, "Bole-so-Nihal", would be staged. "All functions related to the complex inauguration will have a religious ambience. Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan and others from the film world are coming but they will not stage any performance. They will be state guests," said Daljit Singh Cheema, in-charge of the functions.

 A local lad, who had gone for higher studies in New Zealand, was killed by unidentified assailants in the foreign land, family sources said today.
They said Charanjit Singh, who was studying in Anderson town of Auckland state, was found dead yesterday and New Zealand Police informed the family about his death late last night. Charanjit had got a part time job on November 17 and he had informed his family about it over telephone. He sounded quite excited about his part-time job, they said.
Charanjit's father had died seven years ago and he was being supported by his mother Karamjit Kaur. His brother Chamanpreet was pursuing his studies in Sangrur. His family members were in a deep shock after they heard about his death.

Interview Famous Dhadi Jatha Giani Sant Singh Paras -3

Interview Famous Dhadi Jatha Giani Sant Singh Paras -1

Citing global economic downturn to push for greater India-ASEAN cooperation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today pitched for conclusion of a ''commercially-meaningful'' Services and Investment pact by March 2012 to create a positive atmosphere for implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
Addressing the India-ASEAN Summit here, Singh also highlighted the need for greater connectivity and cooperation on security issues, including maritime security, counter- terrorism, training, exercises and disaster management. "Our partnership with ASEAN is one of the cornerstones of our foreign policy, and the foundation of our 'Look East' Policy," he said at the annual Summit.
Talking about various elements of engagement between India and the 10-nation grouping of Association of South East Asian Nations, Singh said, "I believe that our cooperation is on the right path. Given the global economic downturn, there is today an even greater urgency to our cooperation." He referred to trade and economic front and noted that the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement for Trade in Goods has come into effect in all ASEAN member states and India following its ratification by Cambodia in August this year.
"I seek your support for the early conclusion of a commercially-meaningful Services and Investment Agreement. This would create a positive atmosphere for the implementation of the India-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement as envisaged in our Framework Agreement of 2003," the Prime Minister told the Summit leaders. "We should endorse the decision taken at the last round of negotiations in October 2011 to conclude the Agreement by March 2012," he added.

In Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s words, the business tonight was anything but official. At the end of the gala dinner that he hosted for 18 global leaders who huddled in Bali for the ASEAN and East Asia summits, the master of ceremonies of the cultural extravaganza called upon United States President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao for a handshake.
But both seemed to have settled for the cold shoulder. Right through Obama’s nine-day tour of the Pacific, the undercurrent of tension between the world’s top two economies has been palpable, especially in the backdrop of China’s increasing assertion of ownership over the South China Sea and US actions to undermine Beijing’s authority. At Honolulu, Obama traded barbs with Beijing over its currency and trade policies. In Manila, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised Philippines a second warship and increased military assistance.
In Canberra, the US president said his country was there to stay as a Pacific power and committed to deploy 2,500 Marines in Northern Australia. All along, he asked China to play by the rules. China isn’t exactly fazed. It had, actually, intervened to pull down its renminbi after a bill was introduced in the US calling for punitive action for currency manipulation. Addressing the 14th China-ASEAN summit celebrating the 20th anniversary of their relations, Wen Jiabao said: “The disputes over the South China Sea between the relevant countries in the region have existed for many years. They should be settled through friendly consultation and negotiation between the sovereign states directly concerned. Outside forces should not get involved under any excuse.”

First Sikh Police Officer with Turban in Newzealand

Judaa - Amrinder Gill ft. Dr Zues Teaser

A pall of gloom descended on Panam village in Garhshankar sub division of the district as news of murder of two brothers of the village, who were shot dead by some persons at Manila, capital of Philippines, reached.
According to family sources, Manjit Singh (28) and his brother Sukhwinder Singh (26), sons of Darshan Singh of village Panam, were shot dead by some persons at Manila this morning. Both were doing money lending business there. Both were bachelor and their parents were in search of good matches for them.
Village Sarpanch Balwinder Singh told that the entire family was well to do and was enjoying good repute in the area. He said that efforts were being made to bring their bodies to the village for performing their last rites. The cause of shooting has yet to be ascertained.