Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has become the latest high-ranking Chinese official to take issue with the United States over its latest announced arms sale to Taiwan.

Yang Jiechi has joined a chorus of other Chinese officials, calling the US move wrong, and pressing the Americans to reverse the decision.

Yang also says the move has the potential to destabilize cross-strait ties.

He's made the statement in New York on the sidelines of the annual general debate of the United Nations General Assembly.

 

 

Palestinians denounce Obama opposition to UN statehood bid

Palestinian protesters are denouncing US President Barack Obama for his opposition to their bid to win UN recognition.

Hamas spokesman Salah al-Bardawil says the US President is ignoring the rights of the Palestinian people.

In the West Bank town of Beit Jala, around 200 Israelis and Palestinians have celebrated "Palestinian Independence", calling for the end of Israeli settlement construction in the region.

Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas is expected to formally deliver a letter requesting membership to the UN Security Council at its Friday session in New York.

 

 

Former Libyan PM arrested in Tunisia

Former Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmudi has been arrested in Tunisia's southern border areas.

The National Transitional Council is hailing the arrest, calling it a move of great importance in suppressing the Gaddafi regime.

Abdel Hafiz Ghoga says al-Mahmudi is a symbol of the old regime.

"He is wanted in Libya for crimes not only during the revolution months but also before the revolution broke out. Of course it is really important news for revolution and for the effort to suppress Gaddafi."

A Tunisian court has sentenced Mahmoudi to six months in jail for illegally entering the country.

The NTC is going to apply to have the former Prime Minister extradited to stand trial in Libya.

 

 

Sata declared winner in Zambia 2011 presidential election

Michael Sata has now been declared the winner of the Presidential election in Zambia.

Sata has defeated incumbent Rupiah Banda by a margin of 43 to 36-percent.

While the vote in the southern African country earlier this week went off relatively smoothly, the anticipation ahead of the results sparked rioting which has left at least 2 people dead.

 

 

Grim warnings: IMF's Lagarde calls for quick, concerted effort

The IMF chief Christine Lagarde is warning that the world economic situation is entering a "dangerous place".

She has made the comments at the fall IMF meeting in Washington.

Lagarde is urging the international community to work together quickly, saying "time is of the essence".

Lagarde is also warning that consolidating budgets too quickly will hurt the recovery and job creation.

 

 

6.8-magnitude quake hits Tonga -- USGS

A strong earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale has jolted Tonga.

The epicenter has struck about 400 kilometers north of Tonga's second largest town of Neiafu.

No injuries or damage has been reported.

 

 

China, Uzbekistan eye deeper cooperation on energy, minerals

The Chinese government is pressing for more cooperation with Uzbekistan when it comes to the energy and minerals sector.

During his talks with Uzbek President Islam Karimov in Tashkent, top Chinese lawmaker Wu Bangguo says he also wants to see closer ties in non-resource areas as well, including high-tech and tourism.

For his part, Karimov says the Uzbek side welcomes Chinese investment in its resource sector.

Wu Bangguo's time in Tashkent is the 3rd stop on his current 4-nation tour, which has already taken him to Russia and Belarus.

His last stop is Kazahkstan.

 

 

China sends humanitarian aid to flood-hit Pakistan

China has sent its first shipment of emergency humanitarian aid to flood-hit Pakistan.

The relief package is part of the 30 million yuan in emergency humanitarian aid that China has offered to Pakistan's flood-ravaged southern regions.

Four military transport aircraft, carrying 3-thousand tents, are expected to reach Karachi sometime Friday morning.

The 4 planes are going to make a quick turn-around, and will be joined by a 5th plane to haul a 2nd batch of relief supplies to southern Pakistan on their return to China.

 

 

32 confirmed dead in rain-triggered landslide in NW China

The official death count from a land slide this past weekend in Shaanxi now stands at 32.

The process of trying to identify all the bodies is now underway.

The landslide, brought on by heavy rains, destroyed a brick factory and partially buried a ceramics plant in the provincial capital of Xi'an.

Heavy rain and more land slides limited rescue attempts, which were brought to an end on Tuesday.

 

 

Chinese prisons scrap ban on inmate homosexuality

In a move to try to bolster human rights, the Chinese Ministry of Justice is re-writing the conduct code for prisoners, to try to stop discrimination against homosexuals.

Under the re-tooled rules, prisoners cannot be discriminated against because of their mannerisms or the way they look.

Homosexual acts in prison are still not allowed.

The Justice Ministry is going to publish a guide book next month to try to educate the roughly 300-thousand prison wardens across the country about inmates' human rights.