Most Chinese cities suffer from summer heatwave
China's national forecaster has issued another weather alert for today as high temperatures are expected to linger across most of the country.
Temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius in many central, eastern, and western cities.
The municipal warning center here in Beijing has already upgraded its temperature alert to its highest level, and expects the heatwave will continue through the weekend.
Temperatures as high as 42 degrees Celsius was recorded in parts of the capital on Thursday, the highest readings since 1951.
Cental leadership pledges better governance, lasting peace in Xinjiang
Chinese President Xi Jinping is calling for a harsh crackdown on terrorist attacks in the autonomous region.
The remark comes as a 2-day work conference regarding Xinjiang has wrapped up in Beijing .
In concluding the session, the Chinese President is calling for -quote- "nets spread from the earth to the sky" in fighting terrorism.
He also vows to improve governance and livelihoods in an effort ease tensions in the region.
According to the President, special policies will be issued concerning the development of southern Xinjiang.
China and Malaysia vow to continue search for MH370
China and Malaysia have vowed to continue the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared almost three months ago.
The comment comes as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met up with his Malaysian counterpart here in Beijing.
The Chinese Premier has urged Malaysia to formulate a new plan in the search for the missing flight.
Earlier, the joint coordination center for the search announced that the remote sub Bluefin-21 has completed its mission, without finding any evidence related to the missing flight.
Najib Razak says his country will continue with the search.
Najib's six-day China visit comes as the two countries celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
Ukraine opposition shot down military helicopter
Armed opposition forces in eastern Ukraine have shot down a government military helicopter amid heavy fighting around Slovyansk, killing 14 soldiers including a general.
Ukrainian authorities say the helicopter was brought down by a portable air defense missile.
Slovyansk, 160 kilometers from the Russian border, has become the epicenter of fighting between opposition and government forces in recent weeks.
Newly elected President Petro Poroshenko has vowed to tackle "terrorists" in the east.
UN Security Council urges early presidential elections in Lebanon
The United Nations Security Council is urging Lebanese lawmakers to organize a presidential election as soon as possible.
The 15-nation UN body released a statement yesterday after the Lebanese government failed to select a new president under the terms of the country's constitution.
The interim president's term officially ended on Sunday. At the time, UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon expressed his regrets that the Lebanese parliament was unable to reach an agreement on new leadership.
Thai coup leader maps out guidelines for election, no timeframe set
The head of the Thai military government has reportedly outlined a series of steps needed to restore a civilian democracy in the country.
General Prayuth Chan-ocha has reportedly told his military officials they need to quickly establish a new administration, which will include a new legislative and reformation council, on top of working toward a new election.
Prayuth hasn't given a timeline for the process.
The Thai military took power last week amid months of fighting among the country's political factions.
Abbas names Palestinian PM to head new government
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has asked Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah to head a new national unity government.
The announcement comes after the feuding Hamas and Fatah parties agreed on a reconciliation pact last month.
However the two sides have yet to publish a list of ministers.
It is reported that disputes remain primarily over who should be foreign minister.
Officials say a list of names is pending Abbas's final approval this week.
Indian PM to bring deep reform of government in top agenda
India's new Prime Minister has released a new 10-point agenda to reform the government.
Among the list of "to do" items for Narendra Modi is to streamline the bureaucracy.
India's government has long been plagued by inefficiency and, what's been described as 'strategic inaction.'
Government officials in India have long been accused of failing to innovate over fears they may upset their political masters.
Modi took over as Prime Minister this week after heading the government in the state of Gujarat, where he has been seen as an innovator for allowing his subordonates to work without restrictions.
U.S. economy contracts 1 pct in Q1: revised data
New data shows the U.S. economy shrank at an annual rate of 1 percent in the first quarter this year amid the brutally cold weather.
It is the first contraction since the first quarter of 2011 when US GDP contracted 1.3 percent.
It is also a big fall on the 2.6% rise in economic output in the final quarter of last year.
The government initially estimated the economy grew 0.1 percent.
The fall was twice as big as what economists expected.
The fall in output was blamed on an unusually cold and disruptive winter - one of the coldest in the US for 20 years - and a plunge in business investment. |