At least 105 people have been killed and another 115 are listed as missing amid the flooding in both northeast and southern China.

The Chinese government has upgraded its emergency response to try to cope with the situation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is urging local authorities to try their best to save lives.

It is the worst flooding seen in China's northeast, also the heartland of the country's grain production, in over a decade.

 

China, Kenya presidents meet in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta in Beijing.

The two sides have announced the establishment of a "comprehensive and cooperative" partnership.

Both Xi Jinping and Kenyatta say their partnership is based on "equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit".

Kenyatta is now in China for a 5-day visit.

This is his first visit to China since taking office in April.

 

China, US military chiefs decide to expand military exchanges

Chinese defense minister Chang Wanquan and his US counterpart Chuck Hagel have announced the expansion of military exchanges between the two sides and a plan to hold new joint military exercises.

The announcement follows a meeting at the Pentagon.

Hagel says the measures, which include the Chinese navy's participation in the 2014 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, are designed to build trust among the two militaries.

Hagal also says he is planning to visit China next year at the invitation of Chang Wanquan.

 

PBOC governor says ready to liberalize deposit interest rates

China's central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan says China will continue to implement the prudent monetary policy and conduct some structural finetunings if needed. 

Zhou suggests the economy will not post persistent slowdowns and China still has powerful potential for growth.

Zhou also says the bank is ready to free the long-awaited deposit interest rates to fully liberalize the financial market.

On July 19th, the central bank announced lifting controls on bank lending rates.

 

UN chief condemns violence in Egypt

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is "alarmed" by the events in Egypt.

Ban has condemned the use of "excessive force" against supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi, and called for restraint.

Meantime, EU Foreign ministers are set to hold emergency talks on Wednesday to review the bloc's relations with Egypt

Also, Hosni Mubarak's lawyer says the former Egyptian President will be released this week.

The lastest corruption case Mubarak faces is likely to get settled in two days.

Mubarak faces a retrial over charges of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 upheaval which toppled him.

An Egyptian court postponed the retrial to this coming Sunday amid on going clashes last Wednesday.

More than 830 people, including 70 police and soldiers, have been killed, since the army moved in to clear the protest camps in support of Morsi last week.

 

Boko Haram chief may be dead: Nigerian army

Nigerian army says the head of the Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, may have been killed following a gun battle with them. 

Shekau may have died earlier this month at a border community in Cameroon, where he was receiving treatment for gunshots. 

Spokesperson of the military-led Joint Task Force, Sagir Musa says the sect leader sneaked into Cameroon after he was severly injured in late June.

 

35 people killed in rail mishap in India

At least 37 people are dead and 40 others hurt after a speeding train hit and killed them in eastern India.

Officials say the headcount of those killed is difficult due to the state of their injuries. 

After the accident, a violent mob reportedly assaulted the train's driver, set coaches on fire and held railway staff hostage.

Many of the victims are people who lived in nearby slums and used the tracks as open toilets.

 

Largest gun seizure in NY

Authorities in New York City have announced the largest ever gun seizure seen in the city's history.

More than 250 guns were sold in an undercover New York Police Department investigation. 

Nineteen members of two loosely-organized gun trafficking groups have been indicted and arrested.

The groups are reported to have illegally funneled firearms from North and South Carolina into New York City, where black market guns fetch at least three times their original price.

 

German town hall hostage drama ends

Three people reportedly held hostage by a homeless man with a history of mental health problems in a southern German city have been freed.

The captives, including a deputy mayor, were released unharmed after police stormed the old town hall in Ingolstadt, Bavaria and arrested the 24-year-old hostage taker.

The rescue operation forced German Chancellor Angela Merkel to cancel a campaign visit to the town.

The assailant is believed to have been stalking one of the female hostages for the past year.

 

Snowden journalist says detention of his partner will not silence him

American journalist Glenn Greenwald responsible for writing many of the stories about the NSA disclosed by Edward Snowden, says he will now start publishing material more frequently.

The comments come a day after his partner David Miranda was detained for nine hours at London's Heathrow Airport.

Miranda claims personal objects were taken from him when he was detained under anti-terror legislation.

Brazil's Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota says the detention is unjustifiable.