The United Nations Security Council has approved plans to nearly double the number of UN peacekeepers in South Sudan.

The resolution comes after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the Security Council to add 55-hundred troops to the 7-thousand-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission already on the ground in the country.

The resolution also increases the U.N.'s international police contingent in South Sudan from 900 to 13-hundred-23.

The UN's humanitarian organization suggesting that thousands of people have been killed in the week-long violence in the country.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir says government troops have reseized the town of Bor, the capital of the oil-rich state of Jonglei state.

 

Jihadist group claims responsibility for Egyptian blast

A Sinai-based jihadist group is claiming responsibility for a deadly bombing at a police compound in the Egyptian city of Mansoura.

15 people, including 12 police officers, have been killed.

Another 140 have been wounded in Tuesday's attack.

Egyptian Interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi says the attack will not deter the planning for a key referendum.

A referendum is planned for Egypt next month on a revised constitution.

This is the first step toward presidential elections.

 

Central Rural Work Conference concludes

Central authorities here in China have mapped out their agricultural policies for the coming year.

The new plans follow the conclusion of the annual central rural work conference here in Beijing this week.

A statement released after the meeting says food security and the welfare of farmers should be secured as the trend toward urbanization continues in China.

The government says it hopes to maintain food self-sufficiency in the coming year.

The statement also stresses that rural families should be the only ones eligible to contract rural land.

At the same time, the central authorities are also promising to strengthen food safety and improve agricultural product quality.

 

Chinese lawmakers to end reeducation through labor

Chinese lawmakers has agreed to abolish the "reeducation through labor" program.

The decision was made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress during its bi-monthly session.

The top legislative body received the motion from the State Council, China's cabinet.

Lawmakers acknowledged the important role the system had played in the past. 

However they also agreed that the program has gradually become obsolete as it has been superseded by other correction schemes, new laws, and amendments.

 

Former Pak president Musharraf to be charged for high treason

Pakistan's former president is going to be charged with High Treason on January 1st.

A special court set up to examine the case of Pervez Musharraf has made the pronouncent.

Musharraf's trial was originally set to begin yesterday.

However, it was postponed because of threats made against the former leader.

A five-kilo bomb and other weapons were found his route to court.

The High Treason charge stems from Musharraf's decision to suspend the country's constitution.

 

Snowden says mission already accomplished

Edward Snowden says he has accomplished his mission.

He is the former National Security Agency contractor who embarrassed the US government by disclosed agency secrets.

U.S. President Barack Obama defended the NSA's domestic spying programs while promising some reforms in the upcoming new year.

Obama's comments came in a week in which a federal judge stated the NSA's collection program probably was unconstitutional. 

Snowden has been charged with espionage, theft and unauthorized communication of national defense and intelligence information. 

He said people who accuse him of disloyalty mistake his purpose, which he said was to improve the NSA instead of bringing down it.

Snowden's revelations have outraged not only Americans and technical companies but also U.S. allies.

They were angered by documents showing that the United States was monitoring their leaders' cellphone calls and other virtual communications.

 

China's interbank rate slips after cash injection

China's interbank lending rate has dropped after the central bank injected 21-billion yuan into the system.

It's the first time in 2-weeks the People's Bank of China has sold 7-day reverse repo contracts.

The 7-day Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate, or SHIBOR, has fallen to 6.2 percent.

This is down from the over 8-percent level seen Monday.

Repo agreements are a process in which central banks purchase securities from banks with an agreement to resell them at future dates.

The SHIBOR rates have spiked as banks struggle to maintain funds, given their need to pay out obligations ahead of the New Year.

 

Suspected vaccine-related deaths in China rise to 8

A newborn has died in China's Sichuan province, the 8th death linked to a hepatitis-B vaccine made by a Chinese company.

Testing needs to be completed to confirm whether the vaccine caused the death.

The vaccine was manufactured by Beijing-based Tiantan Biological Products Co. Ltd., a major supplier of free hepatitis B vaccine.

Seven other infants have died since November after receiving hepatitis B vaccines made by Biokangtai, a company based in Shenzhen.

Authorities have suspended production of the hep-B vaccine at the firm in Shenzhen.

 

Chang`e 3 "sleeps" through lunar night

The moon rover and lander from China's Chang'e 3 lunar probe mission will "sleep" during the lunar night.

The forthcoming lunar night is expected to last for about two weeks.

During this time, the lander and rover will have to tolerate temperatures of minus 180 degrees Celsius. 

Scientists have tested the lander to ensure it can stand the temperature drop. 

Both the lander and rover are said to be in stable condition now.

Chang'e-3 soft-landed on the moon earlier this month, making China the third country to carry out such a mission after the United States and Soviet Union.