Three dead, 79 injured in Xinjiang railway station terrorist attack
There has been a terrorist attack at a train station in the capital of Xinjiang.
At least three people have died and nearly 80 others have been injured.
It happened just after seven last night at Urumqi's South Railway Station, the largest in the city.
Eyewitness and police reports indicate a mob of people weilding knives slashed at people at one of the exits of the train station and set off the explosives.
CHinese President Xi Jinping has already made a call for decisive action against terrorism.
The attack follows Xi Jinping's recent tour in the region.
Ukraine pledges to hold poll on territorial integrity
Ukraine's government has announced there will be a poll later this month on the country's territorial integrity, and whether power needs to be decentralized.
It will happen on May 25th, the same day as voters choose a new government.
However, the vote on the territorial issues is non-binding, meaning the new government will not be forced to take action on the results.
Pro-Russian activists in at least two regions in eastern Ukraine have been calling for a referendum on independence, with the ultimate goal being to join the Russian Federation.
Activists in several cities and towns have seized government buildings, with some even fighting with Ukrainian security forces.
Moscow and Kiev have been blaming each other for the violence.
Meanwhile the International Monetary Fund has approved a 17-billion US dollar two-year aid package for Ukraine, to help stabalize the country's troubled economy.
Polling stations closed in Iraq
Polling stations have closed in Iraq's first parliamentary election since the withdrawal of U.S. troops over two years ago.
Some 22 people were killed and 62 others were wounded as insurgents attacked polling centers across the country on Wednesday.
Despite the violence, the electoral commission says over 12 million voters, out of 22 million that are eligible, made it to the polls.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is seeking a third term.
Political analysts say no party is likely to win a majority in the parliament.
Sunni Arabs and Kurds have accused Maliki's Shia-dominated government of centralizing power.
Sectarian tensions have heightened in the country in recent years.
Over 2,000 people were killed in the first three month of this year as Sunni tribesmen took control of parts of Anbar province.
Bolivia announces schedule for general elections
Bolivia's Supreme Electoral Tribunal has announced the country's next general election will be held on Oct. 12.
It will be the first such election organized by the new electoral body.
It will also be the first to include a presidential runoff if no candidate wins a majority in the initial balloting.
The potential presidential runoff will take place in December.
The new term will start in Janurary next year and last for five years.
Bolivian President Evo Morales, currently serving a second term, plans to run again.
Thai caretaker gov't agrees to hold new general election on July 20
Authorities in Thailand have agreed to a new national election date.
The caretaker government of Yingluck Shinawatra and the Thai Election Commission have set July 20th as the date for the next election.
This, after the results of the initial vote earlier this year were thrown out by the Election Commission.
Chinese, Australian PMs discuss MH370, bilateral ties over phone
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, together with leaders from Malaysia and Australia, has pledged to continue the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
He made the pledge during a phone call with his Australian counterpart, Tony Abbott, who briefed the Chinese leader about the current searching operation.
Abbott said his country would intensify the seabed hunt for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean and expand the search area.
An initial investigation report on the disappearance of the plane is expected to be released by Malaysian authourities today.
US economic growth slows sharply to 0.1% in first quarter
Official figures show the US economy grew at an annual rate of just 0.1 percent in the first quarter of 2014.
The rate is the slowest for a year and a large fall from the 2.6 percent increase in GDP in the final quarter of last year.
The US Commerce Department says an unusually cold and disruptive winter, coupled with tumbling exports, contributed to the decline, but economic activity already appears to be bouncing back.
Most economists expect a strong rebound in growth in the April-June quarter. The consensus view is the economy will expand by 3% in the second quarter.
China expands VAT to telecom sector
China is to replace turnover tax with value-added tax in the telecom sector, following similar changes in transport and some service sectors.
The new rules become effective on June 1.
Basic telecom services such as voice calls and bandwidth leasing or sales will be subject to 11 percent VAT
value-added services such as messaging, data transfer and Internet access will be subject to a 6 percent rate.
Telecom services for overseas clients will be exempt.
China's supreme court to publish typical cases monthly
In a move to make the system more open, China's Supreme Court is planning to publish cases on a monthly basis.
The high court says it hopes the move will help the public better understand how it operates.
The Supreme Court has published cases in the past, but only sporadically.
The court began putting its decisions on the internet in January. |