South Africa vow upgraded relationship
The Chinese and South African governments have announced an upgrade to their comprehensive strategic partnership.
The move has been announced during the latest session of the China-South Africa Bi-National Commission being held here in Beijing.
The meeting has been co-chaired by Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao and South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.
Li Yuanchao is calling for more cooperation in areas such as economics and trade, science and technology, energy and agriculture.
For his part, Motlanthe say his country is looking forward to working with China in those areas.
A number of documents connected to tourism and public administration have also been signed.
Motlanthe is in Beijing to attend the 2-day meeting, which began yesterday.
He's also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China is South Africa's largest trading partner, with trade between the two currently standing at 21-billion US dollars.
China's Think Tank Rolls out New Roadmap for Economic Reform
A detailed economic reform roadmap has been unveiled by the Chinese State Council.
As part of the plans to be discussed by the top leadership next month, regulatory bodies here in China may substantially cut their interference into business activities.
The new guidelines are suggesting the central authorities may start breaking up its industrial monopoly in the oil and gas sectors.
Authorities are also looking at reshuffling the telecom industry to try to encourage competition.
Pilot programs on the transfer of rural land plots may also be expanded.
The pricing of land may also become increasingly market-oriented.
The plan also says property taxes will be widened to curb rising home prices.
At the same time, the new plans to be discussed at next month's Central Committee plenary session also include a further opening up of this country's state-monopolized energy, telecom and banking sectors.
Iran to negotiate with IAEA on new approaches, proposals
The latest round of negotiations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency have taken place in Vienna.
Ahead of this latest round of negotiations, Iran's lead negotiator and the head of the IAEA have sat down for a discussion.
Iranian deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is describing his sit-down with Yukio Amano as "useful and constructive."
The IAEA is trying to negotiate a framework to allow its inspectors access to nuclear sites in Iran.
At issue is the Parchin nuclear facility.
The IAEA has been trying for a number of years to gain access to the facility.
The Iranian side has been refusing access to IAEA inspectors to the Parchin site, arguing national security, given that Parchin is also a military installation.
Iran insists its nuclear programs are strictly for civilian use only.
Chemical inspectors complete verification at 21 sites in Syria: statement
Chemical weapons inspectors in Syria have completed their initial inspections of all available chemical weapons sites in the country.
Inspectors have gone through 21 of the 23 chemical weapons caches the Syrian government has identified around the country.
Inspectors from the Organizations for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons haven't been able to access the two remaining sites because of security concerns.
The OPCW says it's working to try to gain access to those sites as soon as possible.
As part of the deal reached earlier this year, the Syrian government has to shut down and dismantle all its chemical weapons production facilities by Friday.
The chemical weapons that have been produced in the country need to be destroyed by the middle of next year.
NSA 'monitored 60m Spanish calls in a month'
Spanish media say that the US National Security Agency secretly monitored 60 million phone calls in Spain in one month.
The reports say the latest allegations came from documents provided by the fugitive US analyst Edward Snowden.
This comes as a European Union parliamentary delegation prepares for a series of meetings in Washington.
The White House has so far declined to comment on Monday's claims about US spying in Spain.
It follows German media reports that the US was bugging Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone for more than a decade.
Drone strike kills Al-Shabaab commander in Somalia
Witnesses are reporting a drone strike has killed a senior al-Shabaab commander in southern Somalia.
The al-Shabaab commander, along with two other members of the militant group, were killed while driving in a vehicle.
The group was reportedly on its way to an al-Shabaab-controlled town when the strike took place.
It's believed the lead target in the strike is the mastermind behind a number of suicide attacks.
The reported drone strike is the latest in a series of attacks US forces have been carrying out against al-Shabaab targets.
The US has linked al-Shabaab with al-Qaeda.
Cholera outbreaks claims 74 lives in Nigeria: minister
Health authorities in Nigeria are trying to cope with a new outbreak of Cholera.
The water-borne disease has already left 74 people dead.
Close to 400 have been infected as part of the latest outbreak of the disease.
The Cholera outbreak has been hitting a number of different states in the central and northern parts of the country over the past few weeks.
Cholera is spread mostly by poor sanitation.
It attacks the victims intestinal tract, and can be fatal if left untreated.
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