Iranian nuclear negotiatiors say they're hoping to focus on advanced uranium enrichment and the Arak heavy-water reactor in the forthcoming talks in Vienna.

Negotiator Hamid Ba'idinejad says the Iranian side is adamant that it will keep the Arak facility.

The next round of talks are scheduled for tomorrow.

The so-called P5+1 grouping and Iran are working to try to create a permanent agreement to replace the temporary deal reached in November.

As part of the interim agreement, Iran has agreed to suspend its 20-percent uranium enrichment in exchange for a partial lifiting of the sanctions that have been imposed on the country for the past few years.

 

Protesters block entrance to administration building

A group of radical protesters have blocked the entrance to the city administration building in Ukraine's capital, Kiev.

This comes shortly after opposition supporters vacated it under the new amnesty bill.

The protesters did not enter the building, but denied access to city officials.

This comes as barricades are being cleared.

Demonstrators have stopped their 2-momth occupation of Kiev city hall to adhere to a government amnesty offer. 

The amnesty calls for protesters to vacate seized government buildings throughout Ukraine.

Ukrainian authorities are dropping all criminal charges against activists who have been provisionally freed, provided municipal buildings are cleared.

 

Iraq's Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr quits politics, sporadic violence continues

Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has announced that he is leaving political life.

Al-Sadr has also closed his offices, and says he will no longer intervene in political affairs.

The Shiite cleric's followers currently hold 40 seats in the Iraqi parliament, on top of 6 cabinet posts.

It's widely expected members of his coalition are likely to resign from parliament, bringing the country's political system to a deadlock.

 

Emergency task force meeting after bombing in Egypt's Sinai kills 3 South Koreans

The South Korean Foreign Ministry has held an emergency meeting following an attack on a South Korean tour bus in Egypt which left 3 South Korean nationals dead.

The attack, which also left the Egyptian driver of the bus dead, took place in the Sinai near the border with Israel.

The attack is stoking fears militants in the Sinai have resumed attacks against tourists.

Security officials say the source of the explosion remains unclear at this point.

12 of the 33 others injured in the blast are in hospital with serious injuries.

 

Crashed Nepal Airlines airplane found in jungle

Remains of a crashed airplane have been spotted in central Nepal, hours after it went missing on Sunday.

Authorities say they believe all 18 people on board the plane are feared dead.

Nepal Airlines Corporation officials are pinning the blame on bad weather.

 

Police reveal details of Xinjiang terrorist attack

Authorities in Xinjiang have revealed details of an attack which took place on Friday.

Police say a total of 11 people were killed in the assault, which took place in Aksu prefecutre.

8 were shot dead by police, while three others killed themselves with suicide vests, after attacking a team of police officers in mid-afternoon on Friday.

Authorities say the group had been planning the assault since January.

The attack took place in the same area where another group attacked a police station in January, leaving 6 dead.

 

China reports 3 more H7N9 cases

Health authorities here in China are reporting another 3 people have been infected with the H7N9 bird flu through the weekend.

The new cases have emerged in Jiangsu, Hunan and Guangdong.

One of those infected is said to be in critical condition.

More than 180 cases of human H7N9 cases have been reported in China so far this year.

Over 30 have died.

 

Local govts reduce 2014 GDP targets

New stats show that most local governments here in China have cut their economic growth targets this year.

Among the 31 provinces, 22 local governments have lowered their GDP targets.

Only seven local governments have kept their targets the same as last year.

Only Heilongjiang and Hainan have raised their GDP target this year.

Among those which have downgraded their GDP targets, Tianjin has cut its projections the most by 1.5 percent. 

Tianjin, Guizhou and Tibet posted the highest economic growth last year of 12.5 percent. 

Authorities in Beijing and Shanghai have both cut their targets by 0.2 percent, the lowest targets for local governments.

 

Beijing gov't slashed amid continuous smog

Heavy smog has lasted for days in Beijing, triggering public criticism over the municipal government's inaction.

On Sunday morning, the air quality index (AQI) at monitoring stations in the city's downtown areas was at Level 6, the highest level indicating hazardous pollution.

Heavy smog has continued for at least three days, and there has been mounting criticism over the inaction of the municipal government.

 

Railway trips surge after Lantern Festival

Holiday season train trips in China has surpassed the 200-million mark as migrant workers and college students began returning to their jobs and universities following the Lantern Festival.

On Saturday, some 7.8 million trips were made via the country's railway network, up over 6 percent from last year's lunar new year and bringing total trips to more than 201 million during "chunyun," the peak travel period surrounding China's Spring Festival. 

Although "chunyun" is nearing its end, railway authorities expected the number of daily train trips to remain high until Feb. 24 due to a growing number of trips made by students and workers.