India's industry bodies are seeking clarification on US president Barack Obama's seemingly protectionist remarks about stopping tax benefits for companies that outsource work overseas.

CII, FICCI, and Nasscom are believed to be engaged in talks with the US government following the President's call.

"We have to wait and see how it is implemented. There is confusion on what he meant and we are waiting for clarifications," said Krish Gopalakrishnan, MD&CEO, Infosys, on the sidelines of the CII event on Friday.  

He added that this is a challenge that the industry needs to face collectively. "Protectionism will only prolong downturn and governments are aware that they shouldn't raise protectionism."

Chicago (US), Feb. 28 : An Ethiopian refugee in Chicago has been arrested for threatening to target President Barack Obama with HIV-infected blood.

According to Fox News, this only the second time ever that HIV-infected blood has been sent with malicious intent through the U. S. mail system, a spokesman for the U. S. Postal Inspection Service said.

The man reportedly sent Obama and his staff envelopes containing HIV-infected blood, in the hope of killing or harming them.

Washington  - Republican legislators slammed President Barack Obama's economic agenda on Friday for mimicking the ideals of socialist European governments, one day after the president revealed his 3.6-trillion-dollar budget for 2010.

At a conservative policy gathering in Washington, lawmakers repeatedly attacked Obama for planning a massive uptick in spending on energy, education, health care and other programmes.

Washington  - US President Barack Obama announced Friday that he will withdraw most US combat troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, sharply reducing the American presence but keeping in place thousands of soldiers to support and train Iraqi forces.

There are presently more than 140,000 US troops in Iraq. Obama plans to keep about 35,000 to 50,000 soldiers to help train and equip the Iraqis and participate in special counterterrorism missions. The pace of the withdrawal will be determined by the commanders on the ground.

Washington  - US President Barack Obama announced Friday that he will withdraw most US combat troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, sharply reducing the American presence but keeping in place thousands of soldiers to support and train Iraqi forces.

There are presently more than 140,000 US troops in Iraq. Obama plans to keep about 35,000 to 50,000 soldiers to help train and equip the Iraqis and participate in special counterterrorism missions. The pace of the withdrawal will be determined by the commanders on the ground.

Washington  - US President Barack Obama announced Friday that he will withdraw most US combat troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, sharply reducing the American presence but keeping in place thousands of soldiers to support and train Iraqi forces.

Obama plans to keep about 35,000 to 50,000 soldiers in Iraq to help train and equip the Iraqis and participate in special counterterrorism missions. There are presently more than 140,000 US troops in Iraq.