China says it is ready to send rescue and medical teams to the disaster-stricken areas in the Philippines hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei says China has been paying high attention to the disaster situation in the Philippines, and has expressed for several times that it is considering providing humanitarian aid to the disaster areas. 

He says taking into consideration the actual demands of the typhoon-hit areas, the Chinese government is willing to send medical team there. 

China has maintained communication with the Philippines on the issue of medical assistance, and Chinese rescuers will set off for the disaster-hit areas immediately once conditions permit.

Death toll from Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines rose to 3,637.

 

5 foreigners, including 3 Chinese missing in steel plant blast in E. India

At least five foreign nationals, including three Chinese, were missing after Wednesday's blast furnace explosion at Bhushan steel plant in the eastern Indian state of Odisha's Dhenkanal district.

An Indian government official says the foreigners, two from Thailand and three from China, are engineers and were present inside the plant at the time of the blast.

He says the government is not in a position to confirm the exact number of people who died or were injured in the mishap as a probe is underway.

 

100 killed in tribal clashes in Sudan's Darfur

At least 100 people were killed in the latest clashes between Messiria and Salamat tribes in Sudan 's Darfur region.

Reports say the fighting ceased after local authorities and security forces intervened, noting that the authorities were conducting comprehensive listing for losses the clashes left.

 

Maldivian president-elect proposes pay cut to kick-start economic revival

Hours after initial results showed that Abdulla Yameen had won Saturday's second round of presidential election, the candidate for the Progressive Party of Maldives said he would propose a pay cut due to the current plight of the country's economy. 

Yameen said the first order of business for his government would be to revise the budget for next year, and expressed hope that his opponents in the parliament will cooperate in his efforts to overcome the challenges faced by the country. 

Initial results showed Yameen has received more than 51 percent of the votes. Former president Mohamed Nasheed has conceded defeat at a press conference.

 

Curfew imposed in Pakistani city after violence claims 10 lives

Curfew has been imposed in a Pakistani city near the capital Islamabad hours after sectarian clashes killed at least 10 people and injured nearly 80 others.

Army was called out to restore peace after the paramilitary military Rangers and the police could not control the incidents of firing. Troops are now patrolling the city to avoid any backlash.

 

Russia hands over refurbished aircraft carrier to India

Russia has handed over a refurbished aircraft carrier to the Indian Navyin in a ceremony at the Arctic port of Severodvinsk.

INS Vikramaditya, converted from the Admiral Gorshkov heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, was officially transferred at the ceremony. 

Originally built in the Soviet era, the 2.3-billion-U.S. dollar worth Kiev-class warship was being reconditioned and was due to be ready for delivery in 2012. 

However, following a glitch found in its power plant, Moscow delayed the handover last October, prompting an angry response from New Delhi. 

INS Vikramaditya will become India's second aircraft carrier after INS Viraat. The South Asian country plans to acquire more aircraft carriers in the future to bolster its naval strength.

 

Sri Lankan president rejects int'l war crimes probe

Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa has rejected Britain's ultimatum for an international probe into human rights abuses if they are unaddressed by March next year, insisting the internal mechanisms are sufficient. 

Emphasizing that he has "done what can be done," Rajapaksa noted that the country needed more time to achieve deeper reconciliation.

 

CPC orders crackdown on Internet crimes

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has reiterated its resolve to strengthen public opinion guidance and crack down on Internet crimes.

In a key decision issued by the CPC, China will improve the mechanism set for preventing and cracking down on crimes related to the Internet and better handle emergencies in cyberspace in order to form an online public opinion that is positively guided and administrated in accordance with the law.

 

China to accelerate "hukou" system reform: document

As part of its urbanization push, China will accelerate the reform of its "hukou" system, or household registration system, to help farmers become urban residents.

The Communist Party of China says in a landmark policy document that the country will relax overall control over farmers settling in towns and small cities, and relax restrictions on settling in medium-sized cities in an orderly manner.

It says China should set reasonable requirements for rural residents to obtain hukou in large cities, and strictly control the size of population in megacities.