Chinese envoy in Ghana urges nationals involved in illegal mining to leave
Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Gong Jianzhong has urged nationals involved in illegal mining in the West African country to go back to their home country as soon as possible.
Gong Jianzhong told Xinhua that the government is highly concerned with the Chinese nationals involved in illegal mining in Ghana and is determined to join its Ghanaian counterpart to find ways to settle the problem.
Many foreign nationals, including hundreds of Chinese workers, engaging in illegal mining were arrested in the crackdown early this month by Ghanaian security forces.
Calling on the nationals to return as soon as possible, the ambassador warned of risks if otherwise.
8,000 passengers stranded as tropical storm Bebinca hits S China
Tropical storm Bebinca has disrupted 147 flights and left more than 8,000 passengers stranded in the airport after it hit coastal regions in south China Saturday noon.
As of Saturday night, 110 inbound and outbound flights were canceled and 37 others delayed, affecting 8,200 passengers.
About 6,400 passengers were arranged to stay in local hotels.
Bebinca, the first tropical storm of the year, made landfall in Tanmen Township of Qionghai City in Hainan Saturday morning.
An emergency response system is in effect and rescue ships have been deployed to ensure safety in nearby waters.
Further nuclear arms cuts to involve more countries: Russian FM
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says future talks on nuclear arms reductions would involve all countries that possess nuclear weapons.
He says When deciding on further nuclear cuts, Russia would take into account the U.S. missile shield plan in Europe, adding Obama had acknowledged the necessity of this approach.
Iran not to allow foreigners to decide for Syrians: FM
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi says Iran will not allow any foreign country to decide for the Syrians.
Salehi said this hours after a meeting in Doha, Qatar pledged to arm the Syrian rebels.
He added Iran is against arming the Syrian opposition groups as such a move will "prolong the crisis, sabotage and bloodshed,"
15 killed in suicide bombing in Iraq's Shiite mosque
Up to 15 worshipers were killed and 30 others wounded in a suicide bomb attack north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Saturday.
A police source says a suicide bomber blew himself up in a Shiite mosque on Saturday evening in the Taj area, 20 km north of Baghdad.
Earlier in the day, nine people were killed in separate shootings and bombings in northern and central Iraq.
Thousands of protesters clash with policemen in Istanbul
About 5,000 protesters clashed with about 2,000 policemen in downtown Istanbul in Turkey on Saturday evening.
An eyewitness told Xinhua that police used water cannons to disperse thousands of protesters gathering in Taksim Square.
While some protesters started to leave the square, others regrouped at the Istiklal Avenue which intersects with Taksim square.
Amid the three-week-long demonstrations, the Taksim Solidarity Platform has demanded the fulfillment of their conditions put forward during talks with the government.
70,000 evacuated from flood-ravaged Indian state, death toll rises to 680
Indian authorities have evacuated a total of 70,000 people from flood-ravaged areas in the northern state of Uttarakhand while 22,000 remained stranded and official death toll attained 680.
Rescue operation is racing against time as weather forecast says rain will return to Uttarakhand by Monday or Tuesday, which might hamper the work of rescuers and soldiers.
UNESCO declares China's Hani Rice Terraces World Heritage Site
The UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has inscribed China's cultural landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces onto the prestigious World Heritage List, bringing the total number of World Heritage Sites in China to 45.
The deep mountains-hidden cultural heritage site is located in Yuanyang County in Honghe Prefecture, southeastern Yunnan Province of China.
Chinese language class officially launched at AU headquarters
The Chinese language class has been officially launched at the African Union (AU).
The pan- African bloc says the project within the framework of the China-Africa cooperation was launched by the AU Commission in collaboration with the Addis Ababa Confucius Institute and the Embassy of China in Ethiopia.
It quotes a representative of the Confucius Institute as saying that launching the Chinese language programs at the AU is very significant as it will open new windows for Africans to learn and know the Chinese culture.
China's high-speed rail expands ticket discount
China's high-speed rail will start a summer discount for business cabins, state cabins and first-class seats on certain railway lines.
It is the first time for the high-speed rail discount to cover first-class tickets, but second-class ones, the hard-to-get tickets for some popular lines, are still excluded from this round of special offer.
According to China Railway Corporation, the discount, starting July 10 through August 31 and with variable rates of up to 20 percent, is implemented to "adapt to market demand." |