New center to boost testing capacity in HK（在线收听）

New center to boost testing capacity in HK

China's CPI up 0.9 pct in January

Official figures show China's consumer price index, a main gauge of inflation, rose 0.9 percent year on year in January, down from the 1.5-percent increase a month ago.

The producer price index, which measures costs for goods at the factory gate, went up 9.1 percent year on year in January.

The PPI is down 0.2 percent month-on-month.

Chinese mainland reports 46 new local COVID-19 cases

The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported 46 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases.

Of the new local infections, 19 were reported in Jiangsu, 15 in Liaoning, seven in Inner Mongolia, three in Guangdong, and two in Guangxi.

Tuesday also saw 10 provincial-level regions reporting 56 imported COVID-19 cases.

HKSAR chief executive hails passage of 6th-round anti-epidemic fund by LegCo

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has welcomed the passage of the government's funding application by the Legislative Council Finance Committee.

A total of 48 measures will be introduced under the funding to support businesses and individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and tightening of the social distancing measures.

COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong have surged, putting strains on the health care facilities.

But a new center will help lift the city's testing capacity by thousands per day.

Over 2.9 mln child COVID-19 cases reported in U.S. in past 4 weeks

More than 2.9 million child COVID-19 cases have been added in the United States in the past 4 weeks.

This is according to the latest report of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Children's Hospital Association.

Almost 4.5 million child cases were reported since the beginning of January.

Su Yiming wins men's snowboard big air gold at Beijing 2022

Chinese athlete Su Yiming has claimed a historic gold medal in men's snowboard big air at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

This is also his second individual medal at the Games.

Su says his dedication is what matters the most.

China criticizes inflammatory rhetoric on Ukraine

Chinese authorities have said that it is irresponsible under the current circumstances to wield inflammatory rhetoric when addressing the Ukrainian situation.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged all parties to create the conditions necessary for a political solution in a fair and open manner.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin warned that advocating confrontation is a regression to the obsolete Cold War-era tactics.

Biden urges diplomacy, threatens sanctions against Russia in remarks on Ukraine situation

U.S. President Joe Biden says the United States is still pursuing a diplomatic solution to the current standoff between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

In televised remarks delivered from the White House, Biden has also warned Russia of severe sanctions should it choose to invade its neighbor.

Biden says he agrees with a proposal from the Russian government to continue diplomatic negotiations.

Meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin has called Ukraine's bid to join NATO a major security threat to Russia.

He says Russia doesn't want to go to war with Ukraine, but rather resolve the issue of NATO expansion through peaceful means.

He says Moscow wants its security concerns to be addressed seriously.

Humanitarian situation in Somalia remains extremely dire: UN envoy

A top UN envoy says the humanitarian situation in Somalia remains extremely dire and the country is the most severely affected by drought in the Horn of Africa.

James Swan has told the UN Security Council in a briefing that the drought has impacted 4.3 million people in Somalia.

He says Somalia is facing a potential humanitarian catastrophe as the rainfalls in April will likely be in the fourth below-average cycle.