Chinese President Hu Jintao says the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation must be achieved by adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics. 

Hu Jintao made the remarks at a ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of China's 1911 Revolution, or the Xinhai Revolution in Beijing. 

He said, the history of the 100 years since the Revolution of 1911 shows that a correct path and a core force leading the Chinese people forward are key to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. 

He added the correct path is the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the core force is the Communist Party of China.

The president also called for the peaceful reunification of China, which he said best serves the fundamental interests of all Chinese, including Taiwan compatriots.

 

China announces first cuts in gasoline, diesel prices in 16 months 

China reduced retail prices for gasoline and diesel by 300 yuan (47 U.S. dollars) per tonne starting today. 

As a result, the benchmark retail price of gasoline will be cut by 0.22 yuan per liter, while diesel's price will decline 0.26 yuan per liter. 

The decrease marks the first fuel-price reduction over the past 16 months.

 

China's cabinet offers more support to 2 economic zones in Xinjiang 

The State Council, or China's Cabinet, has unveiled guidelines giving more support to the construction of two economic development zones in the western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

According to guidelines released on the central government's website, the State Council will adopt measures such as fiscal subsidies and tax preferences to facilitate the construction of the Kashgar and Korgas economic development zones located in western and southern Xinjiang.

The central government will work to develop the two zones into new sources of economic growth in Xinjiang and grow the cities of Kashgar and Yining as regional hubs for China's opening up to central, southern and western Asian countries as well as eastern Europe.

 

169 arrested over telephone fraud in cross-border crackdown 

Police on the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Thailand have arrested 169 suspects in a joint operation to crack down on telephone fraud perpetrated by a gang.

Police in south China's Guangdong Province said more than 200 cases of telecommunications fraud were solved and 17 footholds of the suspected have been shut down since May.

The total value involved in the cases reached 120 million yuan (18.8 million U.S. dollars).

 

NW China pilgrims leave for Mecca 

More than 330 Chinese Muslims boarded a charter flight from northwest Gansu Province yesterday, starting their pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

It was the first of the 14 charter flights that will carry over 4,600 Muslims in Gansu and its neighboring Qinghai province to Mecca for their annual hajj pilgrimage.

 

China offers emergency humanitarian aid to Thailand's flood victims 

China will provide emergency humanitarian aid to Thailand for relief efforts in flood-ravaged Thai regions.

The Ministry of Commerce says the Chinese emergency humanitarian aid to the Thailand government includes 1 million U.S. dollars in cash remittance and 10 million yuan (1.57 million U.S. dollars) worth of relief materials.

 

Yemeni president says to leave power in coming days: TV 

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh says he will leave power in the coming days, in a speech aired by the state television. 

In his speech, Saleh did not refer to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative for power transition, which was mediated in April and was signed by the opposition in May. 

Meanwhile, an official of the ruling party, told Xinhua that President Saleh will leave power only through elections.

 

Protestors gather in London to mark 10 years of Afghan war 

Protestors gathered in the Trafalgar Square to mark 10 years of the war in Afghanistan, while calling on the British government to withdraw troops from the country immediately.

The Stop The War Coalition says up to 5,000 people, including musicians, actors, film-makers and lawmakers at the Anti-war Mass Assembly joined the anti-war activities, and headed along Whitehall towards the Downing Street. 

Opinion polls suggest the majority of Britons want a speedy withdrawal of British troops.

 

Polish general elections kicks off 

The Polish parliamentary elections kicked off Sunday morning as voters began to cast their ballots.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, from the centrist Civic Platform (PO), is seeking for a second term against the conservative opposition. 

The final official results would be announced Tuesday afternoon.

 

Cold front lingers in north China 

China's meteorological authorities predicts a cold front will linger in the country's northern regions over the next two days.

The National Meteorological Center says temperatures in the central and eastern regions of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and other areas in north China will drop as much as 10 degrees Celsius, with some regions seeing strong winds, 

It says the central and eastern parts of south China's Hainan province will experience rainstorms over the next three days, with some regions expected to receive up to 200 mm of precipitation.