Chinese President Xi Jinping has asked for maximum efforts in the search for survivors of an oil pipeline blast in east China's Shandong Province.

The death toll of the incident in Qingdao has reached 35.

166 have been listed as injured. 65 are said to be in serious conditions.

Xi Jinping asked local authorities to spare no effort to rescue the injured and strengthen safety to eradicate such incidents. 

Premier Li Keqiang has also urged local authorities to improve inspection and supervision and make sure safety procedures are followed. 

The oil-leaking pipeline caught fire and exploded early Friday morning.

Local authority has ruled out a terror attack as the cause. 

A work team from the State Administration of Work Safety has been sent the scene to guide the rescue efforts.

 

Xi sends congratulatory message to China-U.S. people-to-people exchange consultation

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory message to the fourth annual China-U.S. Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) held in Washington.

Referring to China-U.S. relationship as one of the most important bilateral relations in the world, Xi Jinping said that to forge a new type of major country relationship featuring non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation entails active support and broad participation from both peoples. 

The Chinese president voiced hope that the CPE mechanism will help expand exchange areas and advance cooperation so as to make new contributions to the new type of relations between the two major countries. 

In his congratulatory note to the annual consultation, U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed China's peaceful rise. 

Obama said China's success is in the U.S. interests and a peaceful, prosperous and stable China is beneficial to both itself and the rest of the world.

 

47 killed as Latvia supermarket collapses

The death toll from the roof collapse at a supermarket in the Latvian capital Riga on Thursday has risen to 47 and the number is expected to rise further as some 30 people, or maybe more, are still feared trapped under the rubble. 

Reports say the victims include three rescue workers.

Rescue work is proceeding slowly as both the rubble and remaining sections of roof are at risk of further collapse. 

The cause of the collapse is still unknown, but local media say workers have been building a rooftop garden on the store.

The government has announced three days of mourning from Saturday.

 

Philippine death toll from typhoon Haiyan climbs to 5,209

The death toll from typhoon Haiyan in the central Philippines has soared to 5,209 with more than 1,600 others still missing.

Authorities say the increase in the fatalities comes after more bodies were recovered over the past five days.

Eastern Visayas, the region which includes the worst hit Eastern Samar and Leyte registered most of the casualties.

 

Iran says any nuclear deal must include uranium enrichment right

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad- Javad Zarif says any agreement in ongoing nuclear talks must include Iran's uranium enrichment right.

Zarif says Iran's right to uranium enrichment is non-negotiable. 

Under discussion at the Iran nuclear talks in Geneva is the Iranian suspension of some of its sensitive nuclear activities and medium-level uranium enrichment.

In exchange, Tehran would be given modest sanctions relief.

 

19 killed, 42 wounded in violent attacks in Iraq

At least 19 people were killed and 42 others wounded in violent attacks in Iraq on Friday. 

Iraq is witnessing its worst eruption of violence in recent years.

1st LD-Writethru: Baby killer in NE China executed

A Chinese man convicted of murdering a two-month-old baby was executed on Friday, according to the Supreme People's Court .

Zhou Xijun, the murderer, strangled the baby after stealing a vehicle with the infant inside in March in Jilin Province. 

He was executed in Changchun, capital of Jilin, after the Supreme People's Court checked and approved the death penalty. 

The execution was carried out under the supervision of local prosecutors.

 

Top HKSAR Basic Law Committee official: chief executive must love country, HK

A senior Chinese official has stressed the chief executive of the SAR government in Hong Kong to be elected in 2017 must love the country and Hong Kong.

The comment was made by Li Fei, Chairman of the Hong Kong SAR Basic Law Committee.

The official adds the election scheduled for 2017 must be in line with the HK-SAR Basic Law.

It should also be in line with the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative body.

The official notes as a special administrative region of China, Hong Kong is directly under the central government. 

When elected, the chief executive will be appointed by the central government, which it is responsible to as well as and the SAR government.