Chinese military officer lashes out at US-Japan military alliance
A top Chinese military official has lashed out at the US and Japan, saying China opposes their assertive military alliance emerging in the Asia-Pacific region.
Wang Guanzhong, Deputy Chief of General Staff for the Chinese People's Liberation Army, made the comments at an international security conference in Singapore.
his comments came a day after U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Hagel criticized China as being the one taking unilateral actions on the South China Sea and said that the United States will maintain its leadership in the Asia Pacific region and defend the interests of its allies.
The Chinese military officer underlines that no disputes or incidents have been initiated by China on sovereign and maritime issues.
Northern Nigeria bomb blast kills 14 people
At least 14 people have been killed in a bomb attack in northeast Nigeria, at a bar where people were watching a football match on TV.
The attack place in the town of Mubi in Adamawa state, close to the border with Cameroon.
Adamawa is one of three states that have been placed under emergency rule because of an insurgency waged by Boko Haram militants.
The Islamist group has been in the international spotlight after its recent abduction of more-than 200 girls from a school in northern Nigeria.
No one has claimed resposibility for the attack.
Hagel and Rice on possibility of negotiating with Taliban
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel says the release of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl may open up lines of communication with the Taliban.
The Sergeant was handed to US forces in Afghanistan over the weekend, after the US agreed to release five Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has issued a rare public statement hailing the exchange.
The Afghan government, which was not informed of the deal until after the exchange had taken place, has condemned it as a breach of international law.
Estimated 3500 migrants intercepted by Italian coast guard in 48 hour period
An estimated 3,500 migrants have been intercepted by Italian navy patrol ships off the coast of Sicily.
The Italian Coast Guard has released video that shows part of the naval operation that took place in the Mediterranean Sea.
Two ships carrying 307 Syrian migrants were stopped on Friday approximately 170 kilometres off the coast of Lampedusa Island.
Another fishing boat carrying 210 migrants from Eritrea and Tunisia was intercepted on Saturday, about 48 kilometres off the Southern Sicilian coast.
President urges unity on anniversary of country's independence
Kenyan President has called for unity, as Kenya celebrated its 51st anniversary of self-rule.
Uhuru Kenyatta says "unity is needed now more than never before" during Independence Day celebrations in the capital, Nairobi.
Kenyatta also stressed the importance of boosting national security in order to defend the country from "terrorists, thieves and poachers".
Kenyatta announced that his government was introducing CCTV cameras around the country and internet connectivity at border points.
Russia enacts broadened anti-tobacco law
Russian lawmakers have broadened the country's anti-smoking law, first enacted a year ago.
Smoking has been completely banned in cafes, restaurants, and on railway platforms. Over the past 12-months, these locations had been allowed to set aside special rooms for smokers.
Russia's health ministry says tobacco use has dropped by at least 16 percent since the initial law was enacted last June, and tobacco production has dropped as well.
However, it's believed that more than half of all Russian adults are smokers, and the habit is responsible for about 400-thousand deaths in the country each year.
Volcanic ash cancels Australian flights
Volcanic ash has forced the cancellation of all flights between Bali, Indonesia and Perth, Australia.
A volcano on Indonesia's island of Sumbawa erupted on Friday.
The major plume affecting Australian airspace swept southeast over the west side of the country's northern territory, reaching as far south as the community of Alice Springs.
At least a dozen flights were cancelled Sunday and at least 6 more today.
Flights to-and-from Darwin, Australia were cancelled over the weekend but resumed on Monday.
AirChina to run non-stop flight to Washington D.C.
Air China is to offer non-stop flights between Beijing and Washington D.C starting from next week, its latest move to expand its network in the United States.
The flights will run four times a week, which leaves Beijing at 1 pm and arrive at around 2:30 pm local time on the same day.
The trip will operate with Boeing 777 aircraft.
China is expected to be the top tourist source-market for the U.S in 2018 with the number of visiting Chinese hitting 4.7 million.
82 Chinese baby formual companies get licenses renewed
China's food safety watchdog has renewed the licenses for 82 Chinese baby formula companies for three years.
The licenses are the first since China adopted tougher industry standards about six months ago after a series of food quality scandals rocked the sector.
French food giant Danone's local unit Dumex is also on the list.
Nationwide, 51 producers failed to renew their licenses or applied delay reapplications.
Under the new rule, infant formula producers need to register product formula, packaging and labeling with local food and drug administrations. |