Waching daily Jun 29 2017

From Washington, this is VOA news, I'm Victor Beattie reporting. US defense

secretary Jim Mattis said Syria is taking seriously the U.S. warning against

launching another chemical weapons attack, that has said there has been no

such attacks since the White House issued a late Monday statement

warning the regime of President Bashar al-assad will pay a heavy price if it

does, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday so the statement

appeared to have its intended effect - look I can't get into specific

intelligence matters I think that the actions that the U.S. took was

successful. U.S. said it was seeing active preparations for another chemical

strike at Syria Shayrat airfield the same basis set was used for a similar

attack April 4th, Syria denied using chemical

weapons, nearly 90 people were killed in that attack prompting a cruise missile

strike on the airbase by the US that decision was defended by US UN

Ambassador Nikki Haley and testimony before US lawmakers - one of the best

things we did was after the chemical weapons program when the President made

that decision to go in and strike it sent shockwaves throughout the

international community as well as in Syria to let them know we weren't going

to stand for it. Haley said she believes president Trump's action saved Syrian

lives. Speaking Wednesday Russian Foreign Minister

Sergey Lavrov said his government would react with dignity and proportionality

to end a US strike. In Syria Lavrov said he hopes the US will not use

intelligence assessments about Syria intension as a pretext for mounting a

provocation. In Libya gunmen opened fire on a UN convoy Wednesday west of Tripoli

the UN support mission said the convoy was hit traveling between Surman and the

capital, there were no casualties seven UN staff members were also briefly

attained but it's not clear why. This is VOA news. Venezuela's embattled socialist

President Nicolas Maduro has vowed to defend against what he called a coup

attempt after a renegade policeman used a helicopter Tuesday to strafe and drop

hand grenades on the Supreme Court and interior ministry buildings

Interior Minister Nestor Louise Reverol said an

arrest warrant has been issued against Oscar Perez the police pilot named as

the key suspect the attack underscores tensions in the country where more than

70 have died in violent anti-government protests amid a political social and

economic crisis. South Korean president Moon Jae-in is in Washington for talks

with US officials including dinner late Thursday and discussions Friday with

President Trump, speaking late Wednesday -

business professionals Mr. Moon said his government is trying to meet the demands

of the people He said for too long the

fluid of economic growth in South Korea have been concentrated in the hands of

an elite and that has worsened economic inequality he also held out the promise

of greater economic opportunity if security challenge challenges with North

Korea can be overcome former US ambassador Christopher Hills

at the US-South Korean relationship is vital to regional stability. President

Trump who very much forms initial impressions of people and they seem to

stick at least for a while so I think for President Moon it's going to be very

important that he establishes this relationship after all the North Korean

issue is likely to be the major security challenge that the Trump administration

faces for the next couple of years at the UN Security Council Wednesday North

Korea's ambassador issued a rare statement warning his country will

continue building a nuclear arsenal regardless of international sanctions

pressure or military threats. French President Emmanuel Macron's cabinet has

approved plans to ease labor laws a key campaign pledge in an effort to bring

down persistently high unemployment the French government plans to cap the

financial penalty for companies sued by fired employees and allow businesses

more flexibility to define internal work rules, Mr. Macron has a commanding

parliamentary majority the reforms are likely to pass. Chinese President Xi

Jingping in office since 2013 has arrived on his first official visit to

the territory of Hong Kong marking its 20th anniversary of attending the

special one country two systems' status when it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997

while the central government insists the territory will retain its capitalist

system for decades many residents are fearful of Beijing's growing influence

Wall Street rallied Wednesday with the benchmark S&P 500 scoring its biggest

one-day percentage gain in two months the Nasdaq Composite posted its best

session since before the November election the Dow index ending the

session up nearly 150 points to 21454

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