Chinese top leaders call for innovation in science, technology
China's top leaders have called for the country to become more innovative in science and technology, and for these systems to be reformed in a bid to build scientific power.
While attending the national science and technology innovation conference held this weekend in Beijing, President Hu Jintao stressed a strategy of invigorating the country with science and technology, as well as human resources.
He also urged China to enhance its capacity for innovation in these fields, and to integrate science and technology with social and economic development.
Chinese VP meets state forex international advisors
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan has met with international advisors of the China Investment Corporation (CIC) in Beijing, and discussed with them the current world economic situation.
The CIC, established in 2007, is a state-owned forex investment company set up to make better use of China's huge foreign exchange reserve, with a registered capital of 200 billion U.S. dollars.
State Councilor demands more police patrols
State Councilor Meng Jianzhu has urged Chinese police to cut crime by increasing their presence in public venues.
In a meeting attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Public Security in Bejing, Meng Jianzhu asked for more officers to patrol busy streets, markets, schools and hospitals.
The state councilor called for police to strengthen efforts to crack down on mafia-style gangs, telecom scams, trafficking of children and women, economic crimes and remain committed to "high voltage" crackdowns on serious crimes.
China's territory not allowed for sale: FM spokesman
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman says China's holy territory is not allowed "to be purchased" by anyone.
Liu Weimin made the remarks after Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda admitted his government was negotiating with a "private owner" to "nationalize" part of the "Senkaku Islands" (China's Diaoyu Islands).
Liu Weimin said the Chinese government will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the sovereign rights of the Diaoyu Islands and adjacent islets.
He said the Diaoyu Islands and their adjacent islets have been inherent parts of Chinese territory since ancient times, and China has indisputable historical and jurisprudential evidence for this.
Death toll from southern Russian floods rises to 144
The death toll from recent downpours and floods in southern Russia has reached 144, as the country is grappling with one of its worst floodings in decades.
Intensive relief operations are continuing in the rain-swept Krasnodar region, which has been struck by rains and floods since Friday.
President Vladimir Putin flew to Krasnodar on Saturday evening and held emergency meetings with local authorities on the flooding, one of the worst in decades.
Krasnodar's governor, Alexander Tkachyov, has declared Monday as the day of mourning for flood victims.
Clashes continue in northern Syria, Annan says int'l efforts fail to solve Syrian crisis
Clashes have been reported in northern Syria, as part of the Syrian government's resolve to crack down on armed rebels trenching in the northern region at a time the UN-Arab League joint special envoy to Syria said the international efforts have failed to solve Syrian crisis politically.
Reports say at least eight armed rebels were killed in Maraat al-Numan area in Syria's northern Idlib province Saturday.
Seven killed in gas outburst in central China
Seven miners have been killed in a gas outburst in central China's Hunan province.
The accident occurred this morning at the Xiangzhong Coal Mine in the city of Lianyuan. Thirty nine managed to escape.
An investigation into the the cause of the accident is under way.
3 rescued from collapsed tunnel in central China
Rescuers have pulled out three railway workers to safety, ending an eight-day rescue operation in a collapsed tunnel in Hunan province.` All the three workers are in good condition.
They were trapped when a part of Hongling Tunnel, an under-construction section of the Shanghai-Kunming Railway, collapsed in Xinhua county of Loudi city on June 30.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Chinese ships return from S China Sea patrols
A Chinese patrol team returned to Guangzhou today after covering 2,800 nautical miles in the South China Sea to carry out regular observation and patrol operations.
The team, consisting of four China Marine Surveillance ships, patrolled dozens of islets and reefs in the South China Sea and conducted a formation practice near the Nansha and Zhongsha Islands in adverse weather conditions.
Beijing to add more parking space for its 5 mln vehicles
Beijing is planning to add 110,000 parking lots in downtown by the end of 2013 in a bid to accommodate its 5 millon cars.
The national capital city is short of about 3 million parking lots, as it has only 2.48 million parking spaces for 5 million vehicles, according to the 2011 Development Report for Chinese cities.
The report says to encourage the building of parking spaces, Beijing offers a one-off sum of 2,000 yuan (about 314 U.S. dollars) for each parking lot built in new residential quarters.
By September this year, about 9,000 parking spaces will be built in 68 downtown residential communities.