Banned Chinese researchers get clarification letter from NASA conference
Chinese researches who are banned from attending a NASA conference on exoplanet research have received a letter of clarification from the committee organizing the event informing them of a revised decision.
The ban, based on a controversial law passed in 2011 that prohibits government funds from being used to host Chinese nationals at NASA facilities, sparked a boycott of the meeting from several prominent American scientists.
In a separate letter the Chinese researchers received, the organizers said with the re-opening of the U.S. federal government and the lifting of furloughs, the conference will go ahead as planned on Nov. 4-8 at NASA Ames Research Center.
All 11 killed in Belgian plane crash
A small plane carrying ten skydivers and one pilot crashed near the city of Fernelmont in southeastern Belgium on Saturday, killing all people on board.
Reports say the plane crashed minutes after taking off from an airport near Namur. The victims were taking part in a birthday celebration.
A local official says it seems that the plane lost a wing in mid-flight, and it then went into a spin.
The exact cause of the accident is still unclear.
Abducted Lebanese land at Beirut airport
Nine Lebanese pilgrims, abducted in Syria 17 months ago, returned safely in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, two Turkish pilots, abducted in Lebanon over two months ago, took off from Beirut airport on their way to Turkey.
Syrian rebels kidnapped 11 Lebanese pilgrims in Syria's Aleppo in May 2012 when they returned from a religious trip to the holy sites in Iran. Two of the pilgrims were released shortly after they were kidnapped.
Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for deadly suicide explosion in central Somalia
The radical Islamist group of Al- Shabaab says they've carried out the suicide attack that left at least 12 people dead and more than 15 others injured in the central Somali town of Beledweyne.
The radical group linked to the international terror group of Al-Qaida says Saturday's attack killed more than 30 security forces including Ethiopian, Djiboutian and Somali troops, a claim vehemently denied by the Somali government.
Officials say most of those killed or injured in the attack were "innocent civilians" at the cafe.
37 killed in illicit liquor incident in northern India
At least 37 people were killed after drinking illicit liquor Friday night and Saturday morning in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
All the dead were poor laborers addicted to cheap alcohol.
Local authorities have suspended 10 people, including local tax inspector and ordered a probe into the incident.
Illicit liquor incidents take place from time to time in India due to high number of alcohol addicts and poverty.
Ibero-American summit to be biennial, balance burden of quotas
The Ibero-American summit of heads of state from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries will meet every two years, instead of annually.
Leaders gathered at this year's event say the switch from an annual to a biennial schedule will go into effect after the 2014 summit to be held in Mexico's Gulf Coast state of Veracruz.
They also agreed to adjust the quotas of member states, so contributions to the group are more balanced, a decision that reflects the new economic realities of the European members, such as Spain, and the growth of Latin American members, such as Brazil.
Marital dispute sparks 7 NW China murders
Police explained on Saturday how marital dispute has led a man to murder his wife and six other members of their family in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region earlier this week.
After the killings on Monday, suspect Ma Yongdong was arrested on Friday evening in the city of Wuzhong and sent to Pengyang County, where the tragedy happened.
Ma confessed to the murders of his seven family members according to the police.
They said Ma killed his wife, his parents in-law, grandparents in-law and two nieces aged three and one in their home in Wengou Village of Pengyang on the night of Oct. 14 after he had an argument with his wife that afternoon.
Further investigation into the case is under way.
PLA in army civilian personnel drive
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is to run its first unified recruitment of army civilian personnel from the public, a move to attract talents and improve employment transparency.
A circular says the army civilian posts will cover professional and technical stations, including teaching, scientific research, engineering, health, culture, sports and libraries, as well as non-professional posts such as management and logistics services.
The circular also urges relevant organs at all levels to apply strict discipline in the recruitment.
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