China on Thursday said it was firmly against rising protectionism and would take "all necessary measures" to defend the legal interests of its exporting companies.

"The government will launch diplomatic negotiations, push for dialogue and cooperation, and help domestic industry associations and businesses respond to lawsuits," Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson Sun Jiwen said. 

"We will also resort to dispute settlement mechanisms if necessary," Xinhua news quoted Sun as saying 

Chinese exporters suffered a record 119 trade remedy investigations, initiated by 27 countries or regions, last year, a 36.8 per cent increase from 2015, the state-controlled agency said. 

The cases involved $14.34 billion of US goods, up 76 per cent year on year.

Weighed on by trade remedies, China's full-year exports in 2016 dropped 2 per cent in yuan-denominated terms, with trade surplus down 9.1 per cent, customs data showed.

"China has become the main target of protectionism as certain countries frequently impose restrictions on Chinese products to protect their own industries," Sun said.

"China respects the right to use trade remedies but is deeply concerned about some countries' excess protection of domestic industries by harming Chinese businesses," Sun said. 

"The abuse of trade measures makes no contribution to addressing industrial difficulties… but will likely disrupt normal global and bilateral trade."

China on Thursday said it was firmly against rising protectionism and would take "all necessary measures" to defend the legal interests of its exporting companies.

"The government will launch diplomatic negotiations, push for dialogue and cooperation, and help domestic industry associations and businesses respond to lawsuits," Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson Sun Jiwen said. 

"We will also resort to dispute settlement mechanisms if necessary," Xinhua news quoted Sun as saying 

Chinese exporters suffered a record 119 trade remedy investigations, initiated by 27 countries or regions, last year, a 36.8 per cent increase from 2015, the state-controlled agency said. 

The cases involved $14.34 billion of US goods, up 76 per cent year on year.

Weighed on by trade remedies, China's full-year exports in 2016 dropped 2 per cent in yuan-denominated terms, with trade surplus down 9.1 per cent, customs data showed.

"China has become the main target of protectionism as certain countries frequently impose restrictions on Chinese products to protect their own industries," Sun said.

"China respects the right to use trade remedies but is deeply concerned about some countries' excess protection of domestic industries by harming Chinese businesses," Sun said. 

"The abuse of trade measures makes no contribution to addressing industrial difficulties… but will likely disrupt normal global and bilateral trade."

Union Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday said the transition towards digital and cashless economy will boost India's GDP numbers and also help prevent tax evasion and move towards compliance.

"Digital and cashless transactions will boost Gross Domestic Product growth in a meaningful transition for the Indian economy," Meghwal said here while addressing a conference on ‘Digital and Cashless Economy: A New Paradigm for NextGen Businesses' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

"We have to change to a tax-compliant society if India needs to grow and move forward," he said.

He said India is on the verge of a transition from a largely cash economy to a less cash and a more digital economy, and added that the November 8 demonetisation was in accordance with the general public's will to move towards a corruption-free society.

"Promotion of a digital economy has had a transformative impact and the people of India have supported the initiative. Digital payments is the way forward towards a cashless economy," he added.

Migration to digital payments has generated significant benefits for the common man and the government was taking initiatives to spread awareness on this count, Meghwal said. 

"The government is empowering people in non-urban and rural areas to enable them to adopt technology. Embracing digital and cashless economy is the collective responsibility of the government, citizens as well as the corporate sector," he said.

Shortly after becoming the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday said that he will prove majority in the Assembly and promised that the "government of Amma (former state CM J Jayalalithaa) will continue."

"I wish to say that Amma's (Jayalalithaa) government will continue by me proving majority in the Assembly," Palaniswami told reporters in his first media interaction after taking oath as the CM.

Loyalist of jailed AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala, Palaniswami’s appointment as the CM brought an end to weeks of political turmoil in Tamil Nadu.

Governor Vidyasagar Rao has asked Palaniswami to seek the vote of confidence in the Assembly within 15 days.

Rao had invited Palaniswami, 64, to form a ministry "at the earliest", a day after he met the Governor and submitted a list of legislators backing him.

The Governor's invitation set off celebrations in the Sasikala camp even as outgoing acting Chief Minister O Panneerselvam pledged to continue his fight against "one family" taking over the AIADMK.

Panneerselvam said people were angry that a new government was being formed with the support of legislators who, he said, were held for days in captivity at a resort near here.

Sixteen new JF-17 Thunder jets have been added to the fleet of 14-Squadron of the Pakistan Air Force on Thursday, Radio Pakistan reported.

The new fighter jets have been manufactured jointly by China and Pakistan and will further add to the strength of the country's defence. Pakistan already has more than 70 JF-17 Thunder jets.

Pakistan Air Force has these fighter jets since 2007 followed by its upgraded models in 2013. The JF-17 Thunder was a single-engine multi-role jet, whose development was started in 1999 by collaboration between Pakistan and China. Its first flight was conducted in year 2003.

This jet fighter was considered to be the major defensive mechanism of the Pakistan Air Force as it can be equipped with air-to-air ordnance.

National flag carrier Air India on Thursday said it plans to lease and induct 14 A320neo (new engine option) aircraft in 2017.

According to Air India's Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani, the airline will induct 14 A320neos this year. 

Lohani spoke at the induction ceremony of the first ever A320neo to join the national passenger carrier's fleet on Thursday. Subsequently, the airline has become the third operator of the fuel efficient aircraft in the country after IndiGo and GoAir. 

However, it is the only airline in India to operate the A320neo aircraft powered by CFM engine.

The first of the 14 aircraft which are proposed to be inducted into the airline has been leased out from Kuwait headquartered ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance Company.

The AAP on Thursday demanded a Supreme Court monitored probe into the alleged links of the BJP with ISI agents arrested in Bhopal last week.

The Madhya Pradesh government's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Thursday busted an espionage ring in Bhopal and arrested 11 persons allegedly working for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Speaking to the media, Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Ashutosh alleged that some of the arrested men were active workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"One of the arrested men, Dhruv Saxena, was the media cell in-charge of the BJP and has been spotted in several pictures with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya," he said.

He alleged that many others among the 11 arrested, including Balram Singh, Manish Gandhi and Mohit Agrawal, were active workers of the BJP.

"They leaked strategic information about Pathankot (Punjab) and Uri (J&K) – which saw brutal terrorist attacks – to the ISI," Ashutosh said.

"What does it mean? Is the BJP under control of the ISI or is it (BJP) becoming ISI?" he asked.

The AAP leader demanded an independent probe monitored by the Supreme Court into the issue.

He also asked the BJP to clarify the extent of influence the ISI was having on the party and its parent body, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Iran said on Thursday that Israel's atomic arsenal is the biggest danger to world peace, a day after US President Donald Trump vowed to prevent Iran developing a nuclear weapon.

Israel is the "biggest threat to the peace and security in the region and the world," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said, quoted by state news agency IRNA.

Trump had warned on Wednesday after meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington that the "threat of Iran's nuclear ambitions" was one of the major security challenges facing Israel.

The US president told reporters that he would do "more to prevent Iran from ever developing — I mean ever — a nuclear weapon".

But Ghasemi dismissed the comments by Trump and Netanyahu comments as "nonsense".

"The bitter truth is that these unjust claims are being repeated by the Zionist regime that doesn't abide by any international laws and has hundreds of warheads in its atomic arsenal," Ghasemi said, referring to Israel.

Ghasemi said the United Nations' atomic watchdog had repeatedly confirmed the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme.

Israel is believed to be the Middle East's sole nuclear power but it has long refused to confirm or deny that it has such weapons.

A war of words has been escalating between Tehran and Washington since even before Trump took office in January.

Under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, the US and five other world powers reached a 2015 deal with Iran to lift sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Trump himself has repeatedly denounced the historic accord as "one of the worst deals I've ever seen".

The Islamic republic's archfoe Netanyahu has warned that the deal will expire too soon to permanently remove the threat.

Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons, saying its activities are exclusively for peaceful purposes such as power generation.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that the world is better off when the EU is strong, amid anti-Brussels sentiment from Brexit and Donald Trump.

"The whole world benefits from a strong EU," he said in a speech to the European Parliament, a day after MEPs approved a landmark free trade deal between the EU and Canada.

"Canada knows that an effective European voice on the global stage isn't just preferable, it's essential," Trudeau added.

Trudeau also hailed the 28-nation bloc as "a truly remarkable achievement and an unprecedented model for peaceful cooperation." 

The European Parliament on Wednesday solidly backed a the EU-Canada trade accord after nearly eight years of painful negotiations and activist anger.

With the trade deal, the EU and Canada "have made a big step to deepen our relationship and increase commerce that is both free and progressive," Trudeau said.

Trudeau spoke three days after meeting in Washington with US President Trump, who has vowed to embrace protectionism and reject big trade deals.

Trump has previously said that Britain's vote to leave was a good idea and that other countries would likely follow suit.

He is also expected to nominate a pro-Brexit ambassador to the EU who believes that the bloc will disintegrate and that the euro single currency will fail.

Elegance in dialect, sophistication in accent and charm in words, the French language is a turn on. It never fails to impress just like France’s architecture, glorious history and unique lifestyle. Be it a honeymoon destination, a shopping destination, a family vacation, a cultural trip or for a literature dose, France has so much to offer. Along with the famous locations and museums, there are a few things that must be tried if you step into the mesmerising French world. Here are a few things to add in to your to-do list in France.

Outdoor wine tasting

Amidst the beautiful meadows and vineyards, hold a glass of wine, swivel it, inhale the fragrance and sip in the authentic French drink with style. As the wine flows down your throat, the French magic slowly and smoothly conquers you.

You can make the wine tasting experience even more refreshing by riding a bike to the yard through the meadows. The wine becomes the elixir that takes away all the fatigue.

Canyoning to canoeing

The picturesque canyons in France attract the adventurous souls to dip into waters, slide down the caves, follow the rivers hidden inside the mountains and combine it with caving. There are various canyoning clubs to join people who can raise the bar higher and make it all the way more adventurous. A lighter version of this is canoeing where you can get a local person who knows how to do it well and also act as a guide to show you around the breathtaking sites through the mountains as you flow along the rivers.

Do it in Hollywood style!

Hollywood is best known for the concept and picturisation and when it comes to choosing a location, France is the most chosen one. Tom Hank’s Angels and Demons and The da Vinci code is not less than a travel goal if you notice the locations. Make a list of places you liked in the movies and start exploring them off screen.

Take a walk into the past

With rich history and great stories, France has so much to offer. Paris alone has 130 museums standing tall since ages and narrating the glorious stories from the past. Walk in to the past and live a French moment.

Like a supermodel on the ramp

It is a well known fact that there are a plenty of local people in France who are not less than any supermodel in the fashion industry.

The fashion capital of the world gives a chance to take in the essence and walk on the roads like a supermodel walks on the ramp.

Kiss and tell

City of love, Paris has a 350 meter tall age old wonder Eiffel tower as the witness of the greatest love affairs. You will find many couples soaked in love around the tower. Katie Holmes said yes to Tom Cruise right under the Eiffel. This can be a chance to write your love story where you can be the protagonist and this beautiful city can be your love interest.

Say cheese!

Producer of hundreds of types of Cheese, France is a wonderland for cheese lovers. Even if you are not such a fan of cheese you must try the authentic French cheese that might change your choices.

Ketchup? The French fries!

Well asking for ketchup in a French restaurant might be taken as an offense as they take pride in their cuisines and eating ketchup with the French food makes the original taste fade away although a bit of ketchup is allowed if you order French fries.

It is rare to find a place where there is so much to see and do, France is one of those places where you might wish to lock your love and throw the key away. Although it is now banned to do that on the Pont des Arts Bridge over river Seine in Paris but the place has a variety of experiences to offer.

So add these things in your itinerary to France. Bon voyage!

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should stop "Mann ki Baat" and must listen to people to understand their sufferings in the wake of demonetisation.

Addressing an election rally here, he also slammed Modi for not waiving off the loans of farmers. 

"There was a meeting yesterday (Wednesday). Some people raised their voice against demonetisation. Modiji asked, what is their problem?"

"Modiji, you should stop 'Mann Ki Baat' and should listen to the people. You'll undersatnd the problems people are facing due to demonetisation," said Gandhi.

Hitting out at Modi, Gandhi said that the Prime Minister does not need to be in power in Uttar Pradesh to waive off the loans of farmers.

"To waive off loans, you (Modi) don't need to be in power in Uttar Pradesh for that. Your government is at the Centre, so you should waive off the loans. Why are you waiting for elections?" Gandhi said.

Candidates waiting to get their UPSC IAS Main results 2017 dont need to wait much. As per the latest updates, UPSC Civil Services Preliminary examination 2017 is expected to be declared online on the official website on February 22, 2017.

UPSC IAS results 2016-2017 declaration has been noticed under media discussion from December 2017 and till date no official notification has been released related to this.
UPSC IAS examination took place on October 2016 and this is an important examination for the candidates trying to make their career in All India Services and central civil services including IAS, IFS, IRS, IPS and IRTS.

Just next to the declaration of the UPSC exam results 2017 candidates have to visit the official website i.e. upsc.gov.in and fill the blank space with the required information including roll number, registration number and required information in the blank space to get their results.

Ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) chief Shurhozelie Liezietsu will take over from Chief Minister TR Zeliang after 42 of the 49 legislators "unanimously supported" the former as the new legislature party leader, a top NPF leader said on Thursday.

"Majority of the NPF legislators have unanimously elected Shurhozelie as their new legislature party leader to break the deadlock between the agitating groups and the government. We have tried our best to persuade the groups but they refused to climb down," Nagaland's lone Rajya Sabha member KG Kenye said.

"Shurhozelie has accepted the offer of the legislators to lead the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government to restore normalcy and prevent the imposition of President's rule in the state," Kenye said.

In the meantime, Governor PB Acharya and Zeliang left for New Delhi on Thursday afternoon from Dimapur.

Zeliang is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Agitating tribal groups – under the banner of Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC) and Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) – have been demanding the resignation of Zeliang over his decision to conduct civic bodies' elections with 33 per cent reservation for women.

On Wednesday, the group had served the chief minister an ultimatum to resign or face further protests. Their three-day ultimatum will end on February 17. The groups have decided to hold a public rally on Friday at Kohima to mount pressure on Zeliang to step down.

"Had the governor and the chief minister not left Kohima (state capital), Shurhozelie along with the legislators would have driven down to Raj Bhavan to stake claim and form the new government," Kenye said.

He said that both the chief minister and the governor are expected to return to Kohima on Friday to pave way for formation of the new government.

"We are sure that there will be smooth transition of power as the chief minister himself wants to ensure peace in the state after weeks of agitation," he added.

Nagaland has been on turmoil since January, after the NPF-led government decided to hold local body elections in 12 towns across the state.

The government later declared the civic elections as "null" and "void".

Three persons were killed and many injured following clashes between police and the public, who were opposing the civic polls.

In fact, NPF legislator Neiphrezo Keditsu had resigned as chairman of Nagaland State Mineral Development Corporation Limited on moral grounds since one of the persons killed in the Dimapur police firing was from his village.

On Thursday, normal life remained paralysed as the indefinite shutdown sponsored by the tribal bodies entered the fourth day after Zeliang refused to accede to the demand to step down.

The state secretariat, state and central government offices, banks, shops and other businesses remained closed.

National Highway-2, which connects the main commercial town of Dimapur with the poll-bound state of Manipur, was also affected.

Volunteers were seen picketing the road to prevent traffic movement and the government employees from attending their official duties; even as security forces were seen patrolling the roads to thwart any untoward incident.

"We are keeping a close watch on the situation in the wake of these political developments and the state and central machineries will ensure to prevent breakdown of law and order," a police official said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Thursday dared Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to reveal what all has his party done for the country in the last 60 years as well as his contribution towards his parliamentary constituency of Amethi– a stronghold of the Gandhi family.

“Rahul baba what work have you done in Amethi? People here are asking this question. No you will have to give an account of what all you have done in the last 60 years,” Shah said while addressing a rally in Amethi.

Amethi has been a forte of the Congress party since the 1980s and has been represented by different members of the Gandhi family from Sanjay Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi over the years.

“This election in Uttar Pradesh is to end dynastic, caste-based politics,” Shah said.

The BJP chief also attacked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and said that the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) was a party of goons.

“He (Akhilesh) says that he has changed but the fact is that all the goons belonging to the party are still there, nothing has changed,” Shah said.

The third phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will take place on February 19. A total of 69 assembly seats spread over 12 districts will go to polls.

On the heels of the Cabinet approval for the merger into State Bank of India (SBI) of its five associate banks, the public lender on Thursday said there are no wage-related issues with the employees in the process.

"No wage-related issues right now. They can retain what they receive at this point of time or they will be offered a wage package according to the SBI standards. They will have a choice to retain theirs, or accept the SBI one," SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya told reporters here in a briefing.

Talking about the effective date of merger, the SBI chief said that it was likely to happen in the next fiscal and the exact date would be notified by the government. 

"Notification from the government will give the effective date of merger. Merger may happen in next financial year (2017-18) after closure of books," she said.

The combined entity post-merger will have over 23,000 branches with 2.71 lakh employees.

"However, the government shareholding will not go down after the merger," Bhattacharya said. 

The merger will see increased synergies in terms of combining of treasuries, head offices, administration staff, auditors, licences and efficiency of costs. 

"There will be increased synergies. First thing that will get merged is treasuries. Intead of six, we will have one treasury. Head offices will get merged, though some head offices may work as regional offices," she said.

"Administration staff may get deployed in direct operations. Some may look after new businesses. Synergies will be immediately visible in terms of large accounts and efficiency of costs. Instead of six sets of auditors, six sets of licences, six roll-outs of products, there will be a lot of efficiency," she added.

The process would also not involve great costs, she said.

"We will not incur great costs, because there is no consultant for the purpose. Some costs will be on account of shifting, closures and opening, but not very huge."

Talking about digital transactions, she said that there was a noticeable drop post-demonetisation as the cash in the economy had substantially increased.

"We have seen a fall-off in digital transaction numbers. What we saw at the height of demonetisation has now come down. That is because cash has came back. There needs to be some incentives for digitisation. But it is not worrying, as it was expected," she said.

"But digital transactions happening today are much more than what we were doing pre-demonetisation," she added.

Government plans to auction 30 mines in Jharkhand and the process is likely to start this fiscal, said Coal and Mines Minister Piyush Goyal here on Thursday.

"This year itself, we are hoping to auction at least 30 new mines in Jharkhand. It will be in bauxite, gold, diamond, emeralds and iron ore," he said at the first Jharkhand global investors' summit.

Asserting that the state has huge potential, Goyal said Jharkhand can promote low-cost manufacturing because of availability of cheap power.

He said the state can promote manufacturing of products related to renewal of energy sectors and production of silicon wafers requires a lot of cheap power.

"I would urge the state to set up a dedicated park for manufacturing of solar equipment," the minister said.

A large number of foreigners are being black-listed from visiting Northeastern states by the Union Home Ministry for violation of visa rules, a top official said here on Thursday.

A top central intelligence official said on condition of anonymity that some foreign nationals become involved in local law and order and negative issues, including spreading of religious messages and thoughts.

Foreigners visiting Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland require Protected Area Permits and Restricted Area Permits. 

In Arunachal Pradesh, a foreigner cannot exceed stay for more than 30 days.

"Around 30 black-listed nationals of the US, Nigeria and Bangladesh were disallowed from entering Tripura during the past one year by the immigration authorities," the official added.

"On Wednesday, a black-listed Muslim cleric from Bangladesh tried to enter Tripura but the immigration authorities at the India-Bangladesh check post at Akhaura did not allow him," the official said.

According to the official, the 64-year-old cleric, carrying Indian visa with one year validity, had visited Tripura last month too. 

Around 90,000 foreign tourists visited seven Northeastern states, excluding Sikkim, last year, while 80,200 foreign tourists visited the region in 2015 and in 2014, around 68,400 foreign travellers visited the mountainous region.