China releases videos on Japanese jets tailing Chinese plane
China's military has defended its role during a close encounter involving military planes over the East China Sea.
Beijing has released videos showing Japanese jets tailing a Chinese plane during the encounter.
One of the two videos shows two Japanese fighter jets tailing a Chinese Tu-154 plane that was on a routine patrol in the Air Defense Identification Zone on Wednesday.
The ministry says the two Japanese jets came within about 30 meters of the Chinese plane, seriously threatening the safety of Chinese personnel.
The Japanese government earlier denied its aircrafts came near the Chinese jet, while trying to shift the blame for the incident on China.
China backs Afghan presidential runoff
China says it hopes the second round of the Afghan presidential election will be steady and smooth, and lay a solid foundation for the country's peace, stability and development.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying says China appreciates the Afghan electoral institutions's preparations for the election runoff to be held on Sunday.
She says China attaches great importance to developing a strategic partnership with Afghanistan, adding the country will work with other sides in supporting Afghanistan's peaceful reconstruction and national reconciliation.
Former Afghan foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai will compete in the presidential runoff.
Obama says not to send U.S. troops back to Iraq
U.S. President Barack Obama says he will not send back U.S. troops to help the Iraqi forces fight Islamist militants who are making rapid gains on the ground.
Obama acknowledged "significant gains" made by the militants in the past few days, saying he's asked his national security team to prepare "a range of other options" in support of Iraqi security forces.
NATO chief says concerned over eastern Ukraine situation
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has expressed concern over the "possible escalation" of the crisis in eastern Ukraine, according to a NATO statement.
Rasmussen said he was concerned about reports that "Russian tanks and other armored vehicles may have crossed the border into eastern Ukraine."
He said "If these reports are confirmed, this would mark a serious escalation of the crisis in eastern Ukraine,"
In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday sent a note of protest to Ukraine over the border violation by Ukrainian soldiers.
Kremlin says the state border was violated by armed units, as an infantry fighting vehicles crossed the border. Russian border guards detained the vehicle and its crewmen retreated.
Iran says to resume 20 pct uranium enrichment if talks fail
Iranian authorities say the country will resume high-grade uranium enrichment if talks aimed at securing a long-term deal on Iran's nuclear program fail.
Iran suspended uranium enrichment in November after reaching an interim agreement with the P5+1 group.
That deal expires soon.
But it can be extended another six months if the bargaining that begins on Monday in Vienna fails to result in a final accord.
Thailand lifts curfew nationwide
Thailand's military announced Friday night to lift the curfew across the country, effective immediately.
Since there are no signs of violence in areas where the curfew from midnight to 4 a.m. local time has been imposed, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) decided to lift the curfew nationwide to allay the impact on people's daily life and tourism.
Xi stresses efforts to revolutionize energy sector
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for more efforts to revolutionize the country's energy production and consumption habits, in light of changing dynamics in the global energy market.
While presiding over a meeting of the Central Leading Group on Financial and Economic Affairs, Xi Jinping, head of the group, acknowledged that China faces challenges to cope with rising energy demand, supply restraints, huge environment costs and backward technology.
The president said to ensure national energy security, China needs to take steps to rein in irrational energy use and control the country's energy consumption by fully implementing energy-saving policies.
He urged further efforts in energy technology innovation to forge the industry into a new powerhouse to fuel economic growth.
China launches anti-dumping probe into kidney therapy equipment
The Ministry of Commerce has announced it has launched anti-dumping investigations into imports of hemodialysis equipment from the European Union and Japan.
The investigations, initiated on Friday, came after objections were raised by the hemodialysis equipment sector in China. The probe will find out whether imports were dumped into the Chinese market, as well as the dumping margins and damage done to the domestic industry.
In medicine, hemodialysis is therapy used to remove waste products and free water from the blood when kidneys are in failure.
Wanda invest in Hollywood movie "Southpaw"
Chinese company Wanda Media has announced it will become the only investor in the boxing drama "Southpaw".
The movie will begin production next Monday in Pittsburg.
It is the first time a Chinese company has fully funded an American film.
"Southpaw" centres on a left-handed boxer who wins the welterweight title and then suffers a tragedy, forcing him to put his life back together to earn his young daughter's respect.
The film is expected to premiere in spring 2015. |