The China-Russia joint drill, code-named Peace Mission-2013, has entered the phase of battle planning as China's last troops arrived at the designated area.

Peace Mission-2013, which takes place in Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountainous region from July 27 to Aug. 15, has three phases -- troop deployment, battle planning and simulated combat. 

A Chinese military official says the second phase will focus on issues such as coordinating campaign intention, making decisions, preparing plans and organizing coordination, which will lay the foundation for the third phase.

 

Mugabe wins Zimbabwe presidential election

Zimbabwe's incumbent president Robert Mugabe, 89, won the presidential race Saturday for the sixth time, extending his 33-year rule of the country since its independence in 1980.

The veteran president won more than 2.1 million votes, or over 61 percent from about 3.4 million registered voters in the elections,

Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe's most formidable opponent, refused to accept the results, saying he and his party will exhaust all legal remedies to challenge the results. 

China congratulates Zimbabwe for the success of the election and hopes political parties in Zimbabwe will accept the results of the election.

 

US embassies in Yemen closed following security threats

Heavy military have surrounded the US and British embassies in Yemen's capital, a day after US authorities warned of the threat of an al-Qaeda attack.

Roads leading to both compounds have numerous military checkpoints and vehicles are thoroughly searched if they tired to approach the area.

The UK is also to close its embassy in Yemen on Sunday and Monday. 

It came after the US issued a global travel warning to US citizens about the threat of an al-Qaeda attack.

21 embassies and consulates in the Middle East have also been closed over the weekend.

 

U.S. diplomat meets Egyptian leaders, Morsi's allies over crisis

Visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns has held talks in Cairo with top Egyptian leaders and loyalists to ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi over recent developments in the turmoil-stricken country. 

Burns told reporters after meeting with Egypt's interim Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy in Cairo that the future of Egypt is only determined by its people without any foreign interference.

He said he came to listen to the Egyptian government and different political forces, to provide possible aid that could end a state of polarization and division and work on convincing concerned parties to stop all forms of violence to reach comprehensive reconciliation.

 

Iran's supreme leader endorses Rouhani as next president

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has endorsed Hassan Rouhni as the country's next president in a ceremony held Tehran.

The ceremony came before the official inauguration of Rouhani slated to be held in the Iranian parliament in the presence of local and international participants on Sunday. 

Rouhani won Iran's presidential election on July 14, enjoying 50.7 percent of the votes far ahead of his five conservative- principlist rivals. 

The moderate cleric, Rouhani, will succeed the outgoing hardliner Ahmadinejad and will inherit his legacy of ailing economy and troubled foreign policy.

 

China's non-manufacturing PMI rises to 54.1 pct in July 

The purchasing managers index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector stood at 54.1 percent in July, up from 53.9 percent for June.

A PMI reading above 50 percent indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 percent indicates contraction., according to the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP). 

The improving non-manufacturing figure is in line with China's manufacturing PMI, which also rose in July .

An official with the CFLP says the slight increase indicated a good start for China's economy in the second half of the year.

 

Young overseas Chinese attend root-seeking camp 

Four thousand young Chinese born overseas have gathered in Beijing to revisit their roots.

The youngsters are from 55 countries and regions and have been convened by the Chinese government to participate in a five-day "root-seeking summer camp," 

During the summer camp session, they will visit famous scenic spots like the Great Wall and watch performances featuring traditional Chinese art and culture. 

The government has regularly organized similar camps to help young overseas Chinese become more familiar with their ethnicity.

 

Topping-out ceremony held for China's tallest building 

A topping-out ceremony was held Saturday for China's tallest building, which remains under construction until its scheduled completion in 2015.

Construction workers placed the last beam on the main structure of the Shanghai Tower in the Lujiazui financial and trade zone in Shanghai's Pudong District Saturday morning. 

The 125-story building, now 580 meters high, is scheduled to reach a final height of 632 meters upon completion in 2015. 

The tower will become a landmark building in Shanghai after it opens.