China "strongly condemns" Yasukuni visits
The Chinese government has issued a statement, strongly condemning Japanese lawmakers' visits to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine.
The comments come after some 160 Japanese lawmakers visited the shrine early Friday during its autumn festival.
China's Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin has summoned the Japanese ambassador to lodge a solemn representation.
The shrine in Tokyo honors Japan's war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals.
It is widely considered a symbol of Japan's past military expansion.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent an offering to the shrine under the title of "prime minister" but refrained from visiting.
Chinese president meets Canadian governor general
Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with Canadian Governor General David Johnston in Beijing and pledged to enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Xi Jinping proposed China and Canada increase high-level interactions and respect each other's core interests and major concerns to consolidate their political trust in each other.
He also urged Canada to approve an investment deal between the two countries.
After the meeting, Xi and Johnston witnessed the signing of some cooperation deals between the two countries.
Chinese premier expresses sympathies over bushfire in Australia
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has sent a message to his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott over the current unfolding bushfire crisis in New South Wales of Australia.
In the message, Li Keqiang said that he was astonished to learn of the serious bushfire in Australia, and of the tremendous losses sustained to the life of people and property.
The premier pledged that China is willing to provide necessary assistance to Australia for disaster relief in accordance with the need of Australia.
China reaffirms political solution to Syrian issues
China has again called for political solution to Syrian issues as the United Nations prepares for a new international meeting on Syria.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing that China has always maintained that political solution is the only realistic solution to resolving Syrian issues.
Hua Chunying's comments came as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is intensifying efforts to convene the Geneva II conference for Syria in mid-November.
EU kicks off investment talks with China
The European Union has kicked off the negotiations over a bilateral investment treaty with China.
The European Commission is set to directly talk with the Chinese side on behalf of the bloc.
A statement says the talks are designed to remove the obstacles of investment between the two sides.
2 held hostage at Paris Bank: AFP
Two people remained hostage after an armed man released two others in a bank in Paris on Friday.
The AFP quoted the police as saying the man, holding a handgun, was demanding social housing for himself and his son. The incident was taking place at the branch of CIC bank in Paris's 13th district.
He initially took four people, but later released two.
UN chief says no "official notification" from Saudi Arabia on Security Council seat
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon says he took note of the reported decision of Saudi Arabia to refuse to sit on the UN Security Council next year after winning a two-year term on Thursday, but he has not received any official notification in this regard.
The UN chief made the statement to the press in New York in what came as the first UN response to the decision of Saudi Arabia to turn down its rotating seat on the 15-nation Security Council.
Al-Qaida kills 15 soldiers in suicide bomb attack on Yemeni military base
At least 15 Yemeni soldiers have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack on a military base in the southern province of Abyan.
Dozens of others are said to be injured in the attack, believed to be launched by al-Qaida militants.
Officials say the militants also used heavy machine guns as they targeted the military base in Ahwar district.
Suspected murderer of seven captured in NW China
Police in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region have captured a man suspected of murdering seven members of his family, including his pregnant wife and two young nieces.
Local police say Ma Yongdong, 24, has confessed to the murders.
Ma was captured Friday evening in the city of Wuzhong, four days after he allegedly killed his wife, his parents in-law, grandparents in-law and two nieces aged three and one in their home in Pengyang County on Oct. 14, according to police.
An investigation is still underway.
Toyota to recall 885,000 vehicles
Toyota is recalling 885-thousand vehicles to fix a problem that could cause a water leakage from the air conditioning unit.
The company is claiming that water could leak into the airbag control module and cause a short circuit.
It is feared that in some cases airbags could become disabled or could inadvertently deploy.
Five models are reported to be affected by the recall including Camry, Avalon and Venza made in 2012-13.
Most of the cars will be recalled in North America.
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