Li urges China, Thailand to maintain development momentum of ties
Visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called on his country and Thailand to jointly maintain the healthy and rapid development momentum of bilateral ties.
During a meeting with his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra in Bankok, Li Keqiang said Beijing is ready to work with Bangkok to implement the Joint Action Plan on China-Thailand Strategic Cooperation and a memorandum of understanding on sustainable development so as to benefit the peoples of both countries.
He called for closer people-to-people exchanges, starting talks on visa exemption for regular passport holders and closer cooperation on culture and education so as to promote the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
Li Keqiang is in Bankok for an official visit to Thailand, the second leg of his maiden trip to Southeast Asia since he took office in March.
Before that, he has just wrapped up a tightly-scheduled visit to Brunei, where he also attended a series of meetings with East Asian leaders.
First cross-Strait peace forum pools political wisdom
The first non-official political dialogue between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan has opened in Shanghai.
The cross-Strait peace forum aims to rally political wisdom and expand consensus between the two sides.
The current cross-Strait forums mainly focus on economic, cultural and social issues.
framework.
About 50 dead in fresh boat capsizing between Malta, Italy
Some 50 people, including 10 children, have died after a boat carrying some 250 African migrants capsized on Friday in waters between Malta and Italy's Sicily, a week after a shipwreck left more than 300 people dead near the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Reports say about 200 people have so far been rescued.
The heavily overloaded boat capsized some 104 kilometers south of Lampedusa, in waters where Malta has search and rescue responsibilities. It was toppled as agitated migrants tried to catch the attention of a military aircraft that was flying over the area.
Italy has repeatedly called on the EU to enhance efforts to help deal with the migrant issue.
Obama wants longer-term debt ceiling deal, White House says
The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama thinks that the government's borrowing authority should be raised for longer than six weeks to remove uncertainty for the economy.
U.S. House Republicans on Thursday floated an idea of approving a six-week debt ceiling increase to avert a debt default crisis before a White House meeting with Obama.
OPCW awarded 2013 Nobel peace prize
The international chemical weapons watchdog currently overseeing the destruction of Syria's chemcial weapons has won this year's Nobel peace prize.
The Nobel Committee says the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is honored for its extensive work to eliminate chemical weapons.
The Hague-based OPCW was established to enforce the 1997 Chemical Weapons convention.
It recently sent inspectors to oversee the dismantling of Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons.
UN Security Council okays plan to rid Syria of chemical weapons
The UN Security Council has officially approved plans to eliminate Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons.
The move officially authorizes the joint mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations.
The OPCW is already on the ground in Syria and has begun the process of destroying the stockpiles.
The process is expected to last until the middle of next year.
7 trapped in SW China colliery flood
Seven people were trapped underground after a coal mine was flooded on Friday afternoon in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
The accident occurred at the Dachong Coal Mine in Changtian Township, Huishui County, when 33 miners were working underground.
Twenty-six managed to escape safely. Seven workers were submerged by water.
All coal mines in the county stopped production after the accident. The cause of the flood is being investigated.
China's growth rate to exceed 7.5 percent: central bank official
A senior Chinese central bank official says the Chinese economic growth rate is expected to be above 7.5 percent this year.
Yi Gang, deputy governor of the People's Bank of China, has annouanced the growth rate is likely to be above 7.5 percent and could even reach maybe 7.6 percent.
He also says the problems of shadow banking and local government financial vehicles are now under control.
Xi Jinping congratulates art festival on opening
Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a letter to congratulate the 10th China Art Festival on its opening, wishing for it to become a "carnival of arts and festival for the people."
The 10th China Art Festival kicked off on Friday in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province.
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