英语新闻 VOA NEWS March 24, 2017

From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David Byrd reporting.

Hundreds of Londoners gathered in Trafalgar Square Thursday to remember the victims of Wednesday's attack on Westminster.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan told those gathered that people in his city will never be bowed by fear.

"We come together as Londoners tonight to remember those who have lost their lives and all those affected by the horrific attack yesterday, but also to send a clear message, Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism."

Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Craig Mackey also attended the vigil and lighted candles in memory of those lost.

Nigel ??? and his wife Elizabeth were among the crowd. "So we have just come out to sympathize and to pay our very small respect to those who have been injured and those who have died."

On Wednesday, a knife-wielding attacker identified as 52-year-old Khalid Masood mowed down pedestrians with his SUV, killing two on the Westminster Bridge before breaching Parliament's grounds and fatally stabbing a police officer. Masood was then shot dead by police.

Dozens of people remain in the hospital, recovering from injuries.

A Frenchman of North African origin has been arrested in Antwerp, Belgium, after he allegedly drove his car at high speed toward a crowd in the city's main shopping district.

No one was injured in that incident.

For more log on to our website voanews.com. This is VOA news.

The White House says the House of Representatives will vote Friday on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, even though Republicans are struggling to find the necessary votes.

A vote set for Thursday night was put off when House leaders determined there were not enough votes to pass it. After a lengthy closed-door meeting, Speaker Paul Ryan emerged and said the vote would go ahead Friday afternoon.

"For seven and a half years, we have been promising the American people that we will repeal and replace this broken law because it's collapsing and it's failing families. And Tomorrow we're proceeding."

Ryan did not say whether he had the necessary votes to pass the legislation.

Earlier, the White House had issued an ultimatum - no more negotiations, vote now.

House democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Republican lawmakers will have to take full responsibility for what happens.

"Republicans vote to destroy health care coverage, especially in this brutal form, well, that vote is going to be tattooed to their heads. They can't say, 'Donald Trump made me do it.' He's not their boss. Their constituents are their bosses."

Although Republicans hold a majority in both houses of Congress, passing the bill is far from certain. Conservatives say it does not go far enough while moderates fear that too many Americans would lose insurance coverage.

The Senate's leading Democrat has said that he will not vote for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee and is urging all his fellow party members to do the same.

Senator Charles Schumer of New York said Thursday he would lead a filibuster against appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch.

"His nomination will have a cloture vote. He will have to earn 60 votes for confirmation. My vote will be no, and I urge my colleagues to do the same."

Republicans currently hold 52 seats in the Senate, meaning that several Democrats would have to cross party lines to vote in favor of Gorsuch to end debate and approve his nomination.

March 24th marks the United Nations World Tuberculosis Day, aimed at raising awareness of a disease that kills an estimated 1.8 million people every year.

The date commemorates the day in 1882 when German scientist Dr. Robert Koch announced he had discovered the cause of the disease. It remains [the most] one of the most deadly infectious diseases in the world.

The World Health Organization says that TB often affects migrants, refugees, prisoners and people who are marginalized in their societies.

For more on these stories, log on to our website voanews.com.

I'm David Byrd in Washington.

That's the latest world news from VOA.

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