介绍:
China issues grand anti-water pollution action plan
China&`&s central government has unveiled a nationwide action plan to combat water pollution.
The plan stipulates that China will ban water-polluting industries such as small paper mills, oil refineries, and pesticide producers by the end of next year.
And it says more than 70 percent of the water in the country&`&s major river valleys should be in good condition by 2020.
The government will also implement progressive surcharges for excessive non-residential water use by the end of 2020.
Premier lambastes bureaucracy in ministries
The Chinese premier is speaking out against redundancy and procedural slowdowns related to the implementation of central government policies, amid the current economic downturn.
Li Keqiang made the remarks at a State Council executive meeting on Wednesday.
He has taken issue with the fact that policies approved during previous executive meetings have yet to be enacted, with many documents waiting for signatures from officials in a number of departments.
Li is calling for streamlined administration and the delegation of more powers to lower levels of government.
The premier&`&s remarks follow news that China has recorded its lowest quarterly growth rate since 2009, the height of the global recession.
China, S. Africa vow to strengthen industrial cooperation
South African President Jacob Zuma has met visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Cape Town, with the two sides vowing to strengthen industrial cooperation.
During the meeting, Zuma says African countries are eager to step up industrialization, a process where Chinese engagement is welcomed.
For his part, Wang Yi says industrial cooperation between China and the African continent will be a focus at this year&`&s Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which will be held in South Africa.
Wang adds that boosting the public health system in countries around the continent and promoting peace and stability in Africa will also top the agenda.
S.Korea marks first anniversary of Sewol tragedy with nationwide ceremonies
South Korea has marked the first anniversary of the Sewol ferry disaster, with nationwide memorial services being held by private organizations, schools, and local governments.
The ferry disaster killed more than 300 people with most of them being students.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye visited Jindo Island, close to where the ferry sank.
Bowing to a key demand of grieving relatives, Park vowed to raise the sunken ferry.
Nearly 11 million in Yemen facing severe food crisis, UN aid agencies warn
UN aid agencies are estimating around 11-million people in Yemen are facing severe food insecurity because of the fighting in the country.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates nearly 5-million people in Yemen are suffering from a severe lack of food access and increasing malnutrition.
The suspension of commercial flights in-and-out of Yemen has severely restricted access to international humanitarian assistance.
A second UNICEF relief flight has managed to make it into the capital, Sana&`&a.
However, ships carrying wheat and fuel supplies have been refused entry at a port in western Yemen.
Malawi to evacuate its citizens from South Africa over xenophobic attacks
Malawi is evacuating its citizens from South Africa, following xenophobic attacks witnessed in the coastal city of Durban.
Officials say the Malavian government has released 65-thousand U.S. dollars to hire six buses in South Africa to transport its nationals who wish to return home.
Malawi says some 420 Malawians have been affected by xenophobic attacks and are living in temporary refugee camps in South Africa.
Three Malawian nationals were seriously injured in the violence.
Syrian forces brace for operation to retake key city
Syrian government forces have reportedly started preparing for an operation to retake a key city from al-Qaida-linked militants.
On Wednesday, government troops captured three villages on the outskirts of Idlib from al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.
Idlib was the second provincial capital to fall out of government control after the IS group took the city of al-Raqqa in northern Syria two years ago.
The city was captured by the Nusra front and like-minded militant groups late March.
Iran, powers to meet on details of final nuclear deal
A fresh round of nuclear meetings between Iran and the world powers are due to be held next week to hash out the details of a possible comprehensive nuclear deal.
Iran&`&s Foreign Ministry says lower-level talks could be held as early as next Wednesday, but the venue has not yet been set.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is scheduled to travel to New York later this month for a meeting on the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Iranian authorities say Zarif may meet with his counterparts in the P5+1 group on the sidelines of the NPT conference to discuss the latest developments of Iran&`&s nuclear issues.
大家还在听
