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Reuters World News Highlights at 1000 GMT, Nov 20

Published: 20 Nov 2009 02:01:35 PST

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TOKYO - The Bank of Japan upgraded its economic assessment on Friday, setting itself up for a confrontation with a government pressing for a policy response to deflation and a possible return to recession.

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BEIJING - U.S. pressure on China to raise the value of its currency amounts to Washington abdicating responsibility for ballooning deficits and would impede global economic recovery, an official Chinese newspaper said on Friday.

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WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's vow to reveal his "end game" for Afghanistan may bolster any future decision to send more U.S. troops -- but could also reinforce doubts over U.S. staying power in the conflict.

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ISLAMABAD - As the United States ponders its Afghan strategy, Pakistan is waiting nervously, worried that a U.S. troops surge would widen the war but also keen to see a robust U.S. commitment that would convince the Taliban to talk.

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CANBERRA - Australia's parliament votes next week on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's plan for a sweeping carbon trade scheme with hopes it will finally win approval after two years of divisive debate.

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UNITED NATIONS - A special committee of the U.N. General Assembly condemned North Korea and Myanmar on Thursday for what it said were widespread human rights violations in the two Asian countries.

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NEW DELHI - The routine reopening of India's parliament has suddenly emerged as an awkward test for the Congress-led government's ability to push reforms such as price deregulation in the face of opposition from its rural base.

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BAGHDAD - Iraqi lawmakers failed on Thursday to resolve differences over an election law, dampening hopes of holding a vote on time in January and throwing into doubt a partial U.S. troop withdrawal later next year.

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WASHINGTON - Progress toward tighter U.S. financial regulation faltered in the U.S. Congress on Thursday as a House committee postponed a pivotal vote and Republicans on a Senate committee aired stubborn opposition.