The official death toll from Monday's earthquake in Gansu has risen to 95.

Over a thousand others are being treated for injuries.

Around 220-thousand have been relocated.

Meanwhile, new calls are being made for the construction of quake-proof housing in the Province.

Most of the buildings that collapsed in Monday's earthquake were mud-brick houses that were unable to withstand a strong earthquake.

The 6.6-magnitude earthquake levelled over 5-thousand homes.

 

China starts 5-year ban on new gov't buildings

The central authorities here in China have begun a 5-year ban on the construction of new government buildings as part of its ongoing anti-corruption and frugality campaign.

The ban includes the construction of new government buildings, training centers and hotels.

The directive says all violations will be - quote - "harshly punished".

The new policy paper says government funds and resources should be more spent on developing the economy and boosting the public's well-being.

The CPC leadership has vowed to improve the party's working style through eliminating extravagance and bureaucracy.

 

Chinese president urges deepening reform, opening up

Chinese president Xi Jinping has issued a new call for a deepening of the reform and opening-up policy.

Xi Jinping says the reforms should be "comprehensively deepened".

He also says it is crucial to maintain "a spirit of reform and innovation".

The comments have been made while on an inspection tour in Hubei.

 

Chinese VP calls for patriotism among HK youth

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao is calling for patriotism among young people in Hong Kong.

Li Yuanchao has made the comments during a meeting with around a thousand youth representatives from Hong Kong.

He says the principle of "one country, two systems" has been a success and should be carried on.

 

Myanmar president meets Chinese senior military official

Myanmar President Thein Sein has met with the visiting vice-Chair of China's Central Military Commission. 

This is Fan Changlong's first foreign trip since taking up the post.

Thein Sein is describing Fan Changlong's trip to Myanmar as a sign of the friendly ties between the country's two armed forces. 

Fan Changlong arrived in Yangon on Monday as part of a 3-day official visit to Myanmar.

The trip will also take him to Kazakhstan and Thailand.

 

China calls for substantive progress between Palestine and Israel: UN envoy

A Chinese envoy to the United Nations says the Chinese government is hoping to see "substantive progress" in peace talks this week between the Israeli and Palestinian sides.

China's UN deputy representative Wang Min has issued the statement at a Security Council session.

Wang has also told the Security Council session that China's stance on the issue includes the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 border, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Wang Min has also called on the Israeli side to halt its settlement activities and lift its current blockade of the Gaza Strip.

He also says the Security Council should play a bigger role in pushing forward the Middle East peace talks.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are expected to go to Washington later this week to resume the long-stalled peace talks which have been brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

 

Syrian opposition to meet with UN Security Council members: UK

Leading officials with the Syrian opposition-in-exile is set to hold talks with the UN Security Council later on this week.

The UK is putting together the meeting.

The key issues are expected to include human rights, refugees and humanitarian access to the embattled country.

It's unclear whether international arms for the rebel forces will be discussed.

The British are describing the forthcoming session on Friday as an opportunty for a "frank and informal" discussion with the Syrian opposition.

 

Iraq's al-Qaida claims responsibility for attacks on prisons

Al-Qaida in Iraq is claiming responsibility for this week's prison breaks near Baghdad.

The group claims the move is a response to the Iraqi Shiite-led government's "crimes" against Sunni Iraqis. 

Iraqi officials have confirmed more than 500 inmates managed to escape from Abu Ghraib. 

Authorities have imposed curfews around both prisons.

Manhunts are underway. 

The coordinated assaults on the prisons left 29 people dead and 39 others wounded.

The prison breaks are the latest in a string of violence which has been gripping Iraq in recent weeks.

 

Egyptian army preparing for offensive against terrorists in Sinai: Israeli DM

Israel's defense minister has revealed the Egyptian military is reportedly set to launch a major offensive in the Sinai.

Moshe Yaalon says he's been told the Egyptian military is moving in heavy armor and gunships into the region.

The move reportedly comes amid a major upswing in violence in the restive region over the past couple of weeks.

A series of sniper attacks on Egyptian defense forces has left over 2-dozens soldiers dead over the course of the last two weeks.

At the same time, Israeli forces are also beefing up their presence along the shared border in the Sinai with Egypt.

 

Bus overturn kills 16 in Jiangxi

16 people are dead following a bus crash last night in Jiangxi.

10 others remain in hospital.

The bus lost control and overturned.

All the victims are local farmers who were traveling to a pear plantation in neighbouring Fujian.

 

10 trapped underground in NW China mine fire

10 workers are trapped underground following a fire in a sulfur mine in Shaanxi.

Local authorities say 27 workers were underground when the fire broke out in the mine in Chengcheng County, which is about 100-kilometers northeast of the provincial capital, Xi'an.

9 of those who managed to escape are being treated in hospital.

It's believed a short in an electrical cable sparked the blaze.