China firmly opposes separatism, terrorism: FM spokeswoman
China says it strongly opposes national separatism and any violent act of terrorism.
Spokeswoman Hua Chunying's remarks came after Reporters Without Borders, a non-governmental organization based in France, condemned the control of news and information by the Chinese government in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Sixteen knife-wielding religious extremists killed 24 people last week in Shanshan County, Turpan Prefecture. Local police shot and killed 11 of the attackers and apprehended the other five.
Hua Chuanying said the violence "makes people's hair stand on end,"
She said if one not only refuses to denounce or fight the atrocities, but instead takes a skeptical attitude toward the legal disposal by the Chinese government, or even makes carping comments on China's national and religious policy, then it only shows their double standards and a seriously biased view against China.
5 dead, 4 injured in SW China landslide
Five people died and four others were injured in a landslide that buried two houses in a village in southwest China's Yunnan Province.
A local official says the landslide occurred in Gaoqiao Village, Yanjin County, adding it was triggered by days of heavy rain.
China's southwestern regions have been battered by rainstorms in recent days, leading to flooding and landslides that have caused casualties.
In neighboring Sichuan Province, a rainstorm-triggered landslide and flooding have left eight people dead and 12 others missing.
More than 4,700 residents have been relocated .
China, Russia hold joint naval drills
China and Russia have started joint naval drills off the coast of Russia's Far East.
A fleet of Chinese warships have earlier arrived in Russia's Far Eastern port of Vladivostok for the drill.
Dubbed "Joint Sea 2013," the drill is one of the largest joint military maneuvers in the region.
19 vessels, eight planes and two teams of special forces from both countries are involved in the drills.
Exercises are being focused on joint maritime air defense, joint escorts and marine search and rescue operations.
A senior official with the Chinese Navy says the drill is not targeted at any third party.
AU suspends Egypt after power takeover
The African Union has announced the suspension of Egypt's membership after the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi.
In a statement, the AU Peace and Security Council said it had suspended Egypt from all activities to press for the restoration of constitutional rule.
Morsi was ousted by the army after mass protests flooded the streets in the past week.
Morsi himself is in detention as well as senior figures in the Brotherhood.
The head of the country's Supreme Constitutional Court Adli Mansour has since taken oath as interim head of state.
Rocket crash may be due to premature engines ignition: space agency
Russian space agency is blaming a premature launch for the failed launch of the Proton-M rocket this week.
Proton-M which was carrying three communications satellites crashed on Tuesday shortly after lift-off.
Investigation is expected to be completed within this month.
At least 28 killed, 71 wounded in separate attacks in Iraq
At least 28 people have been killed and 71 others wounded in separate attacks across Iraq.
The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq says a total of 761 Iraqis were killed and more than 1,700 were wounded in acts of terrorism and violence in June.
Tetra Pak probed for abusing market role in China
China has opened probes into international packaging giant Tetra Pak over suspicions that it has abused its dominant market role.
An official with the the State Administration for Industry and Commerce says the investigation covered 20 provinces and municipalities.
Tetra Pak, headquartered in Switzerland, is one of the world's largest liquid food packaging suppliers. It was once punished by the European Union for its monopoly.
In China, the company has been repeatedly accused of abusing its dominant market role, triggering the on-site inspection and on-going probes.
China to cut retail fuel prices
Retail price of gasoline here in China was cut by 80 yuan per tonne starting today.
The benchmark retail prices of gasoline and diesel will be lowered by 0.06 yuan per liter.
Over half of Chinese now urbanites, with or without "hukou"
A City Development Report says over half of Chinese people are urban residents by the end of 2012.
The report also finds out that 200-million new urbanites do not have urban permanent resident permits, also known as hukou.
Those who obtain a city hukou enjoy more benefits in education, medical services and social security than those without.
The report is created by the China Association of Mayors and has been released annually since 2001.
Entertainment costs too high: Minister of Culture
China's Culture Minister says that the cost of tickets for plays, movies and other forms of entertainment is too high.
Cai Wu highlights tickets reach several hundred yuan or even 1,000 yuan, adding that tickets for entertainment in China are among the highest in the world.
Cai attributes the high prices to high rental prices for theaters, big-budget productions and the large sums of money demanded by entertainers.
He has also criticized the sale and auctioning of fake artwork, as well as increasing bids in the art market. |