Equipment and systems have been working properly since the initial joining of China's unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou-8 and the space lab module Tiangong-1 earlier today.

The two spacecraft accomplished China's first space docking at 1:35am, silently coupling in space more than 343 km above Earth's surface.

The success of the docking makes China the third country in the world, after the United States and Russia, to master the technique, which is required if China is to carry through its plans to set up a space station by 2020.

President Hu Jintao has sent a congratulatory message from France.

Shenzhou-8 and Tiangong-1 will fly together for about 12 days and then conduct a second docking.

 

 

G20 summit to kick off in Cannes, France

Leaders from the world's major economies are gathering in Cannes, France to address the major problems affecting the world economic recovery and the stability of the global financial market.

At the sixth G20 summit, the leaders will focus on the ways to end the current global economic downturn.

Also topping the agenda are the sovereign debt crisis and trade protectionism.

Confronted with a global financial crisis, the heads of state and government of G-20 members met for the first time in Washington in November 2008.

The G-20 accounts for 85 percent of global output and two thirds of the world's population.

 

 

Sarkozy, Merkel promise help, urge early Greece referendum

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both urged the referendum announced by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou to be held as soon as possible, in order to ease market uncertainties.

Papandreou has announced that the referendum is likely to be held on December 4th.

Sarkozy says he "fully trusts" that the Greek people will make the right decision.

 

 

ICC: Gaddafi son Saif al-Islam may be trying to flee

The chief prosecutor of International Criminal Court's says Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam may be trying to flee Libya with help from mercenaries.

In a statement to the UN Security Council, Luis Moreno-Ocampo called on other countries to disrupt such plans.

The ICC has been trying to negotiate the surrender of the 39-year-old, who is wanted for war crimes.

Saif al-Islam, once the presumed successor to his father, has been in hiding for months.

 

 

UN Security Council to have closed meeting on Palestinian bid

The UN Security Council's admission commission is scheduled to meet behind closed doors on Thursday to discuss the Palestinian bid for full UN membership.

It will be the first gathering of the admission commission experts to review the Palestinian statehood bid since the UN's cultural organization UNESCO approved full membership for the Palestinians. 

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas formally presented the UN membership application on Sept. 23.

 

 

California protesters shut down Oakland port

Thousands of anti-corporate greed protesters have shut down one of the busiest ports in the United States.

A spokesman for the Port of Oakland in California says maritime operations have effectively halted.

Hundreds of city workers, including teachers, have joined the call for a strike.

The port of Oakland is the fifth busiest in the country, which handles about 39 billion dollars a year in imports and exports.

 

 

Open zoo in northern Bangkok swamped

Flood water has swamped an open zoo in northern Bangkok, putting tens of thousands of animals in danger. 

Half of the 800,000 square-meter Safari World was inundated Tuesday evening.

The zoo has moved most of the animals to dry ground. 

Safari World has some 1,000 wild animals, including deer, antelopes, zebras, tigers and caged buffaloes.

 

 

China Non-Manufacturing Industries Grow Slower

China's non-manufacturing industries grew at a slower pace in October as weakness in investment in real estate and railways offset strength in consumer demand.

A purchasing managers' index fell to 57.7 from 59.3 in September, according to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.

The data adds to signs of moderating inflation that may allow officials to ease monetary or fiscal policy.

 

 

Chinese icebreaker leaves Tianjin for Antarctic expedition

The Chinese icebreaker Xuelong, or "Snow Dragon", has left Tianjin port in northern China for the country's 28th scientific expedition to Antarctica.

The 220-member expedition team, including two scholars from Taiwan, will carry out 31 scientific research tasks during the around-160-day trip. 

Xuelong is expected to arrive at China's Zhongshan Station in early December.

China launched its first expedition to the Antarctic in 1984 and has established three stations there.