G20 leaders are now sending out strong messages, calling for unity to tackle the world's economic woes following the first day's meeting in Cannes, France.

Chinese President Hu Jintao has been stressing cooperation, saying that China is going to maintain a position of balanced growth.

However, he is also warning of economic consequences if emerging markets continue to be pressed to revalue their currencies and reduce exports.

Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is vowing to protect the euro zone.

"We cannot accept the break up of the euro as that would mean the break up of Europe. We need to ask the question only in this way: if the euro is the heart of Europe, would the break up of the euro lead to the break up of Europe?"

 

 

Greece PM faces fresh call to resign

Greece's centre-right opposition has demanded Prime Minister George Papandreou resign, throwing into disarray plans for a unity government.

Opposition leader Antonis Samaras also called for snap elections.

Papandreou's government faces a crucial confidence vote on Friday.

He earlier said that opposition support could mean dropping controversial plans for a referendum on an EU bailout.

 

 

Seven injured miners rescued in central China coal mine

Rescuers have been lifting seven injured miners to the surface from a coal mine in central China's Henan province after a rock burst killed four and trapped another 50.

Six of them have sustained minor injuries, and the other one was seriously hurt.

A 2.9-magnitude earthquake hit the city of Sanmenxia last night and might have triggered the rock burst.

A total of 75 miners were working in the shaft at the time. 14 managed to escape.

 

 

New setback reported for Palestinian hopes on UN membership

A United Nations diplomat says Britain, France and Colombia have told Security Council members they would abstain in any vote on Palestinian membership. 

If this is confirmed, it would be a setback for the Palestinians, who have been trying to win support from European states. 

The Security Council's admission committee is considering a Palestinian application to become a UN member state and is expected to present its report next week.

 

 

S. Korea, U.S. to hold drill aimed at improving deterrence against DPRK

South Korea and the United States will hold a joint military drill next week to improve the allies' deterrence strategies against North Korea.

The South Korean Defense Ministry says the two-day drill will be launched on Tuesday at the U.S. Strategic Command.

The drill comes after the allies agreed at their annual security talks to expand the Extended Deterrence Policy Committee, which organizes the drill.

 

 

Thai flood death toll reaches 442, 2 missing

In Thailand, a total of 442 people are confirmed dead in the floods that have inundated the upper part of the country for almost three months.

The central province of Nakhon Sawan has the highest toll of 61.

Floods still prevail in 25 of 77 provinces and are affecting about 2.1 million people from 710,000 households.

 

 

Diverted Australian Qantas flight lands safely in Dubai

An Airbus A380 superjumbo of Australia's Qantas Airways has landed safely in Dubai after experiencing engine trouble.

The engine trouble forced the flight from Singapore to London to divert to Dubai. It was carrying four pilots, 21 cabin crew and 258 passengers.

Pilots shut down one of the plane's engines because of an oil quantity defect after the plane left Singapore.

The incident occurred exactly a year after a Qantas A380 was forced to make an emergency landing in Singapore following a mid-air engine explosion.

 

 

Chinese police arrest 114 for producing, selling counterfeit drugs

Chinese Police have seized more than 65 million imitation medicinal tablets and arrested 114 suspects in a cross-provincial raid on counterfeit drugs.

The Ministry of Public Security says the suspects were found to have used starch or corn powder as ingredients for bogus medicine, or re-packaged expired pharmaceuticals.

Police also found animal feed and chemical pigments in the counterfeit products. 

During the raid, police broke up 117 dens that produced or sold fake medicine.

 

 

China rolls out plans to phase out incandescent lamps

China has unveiled its three-step plan for phasing out energy-inefficient incandescent light bulbs.

Under the plan, imports and sales of 100-watt-and-higher incandescent light bulbs will be banned as of Oct. 1, 2012.

This will be followed by a ban on those of 60-watt-and-above two years later, and those of 15 watts or higher from Oct.1, 2016.

Official data show that in 2010 domestic sales of incandescent light bulbs stood at more than 1 billion units.