介绍:
S. Korea says to take stronger measures in response to DPRK nuke test, rocket launch
South Korean President Park Geun-hye says the country will take "stronger and more effective" measures to create an environment forcing regime change in North korea.
Park Geun-hye said in a nationally televised parliamentary speech that those measures will make the North realize a fact that it cannot survive if it continues on its present path of nuclear development.
Her speech was arranged to explain Seoul's decision last week to shut down Kaesong Indusrial Park as part of its punitive actions in response to Pyongyang's nuclear test and long-range rocket launch.
Park said that the complete shutdown of the Kaesong complex represented only the start of the sanctions that are in the pipeline to punish North Korea.
HK LegCo security panel passes motion for condemnation against Mong Kok riot
The Security Panel of Hong Kong's Legislative Council has passed a motion of condemnation against the Mong Kok riot.
The motion was initiated by LegCo member Elizabeth Quat, who suggested the motion against rioters who attacked law enforcement officers and journalists.
It also suggested an increase in manpower and equipment for the police.
The Mong Kok riot happened from Feb. 8 to Feb. 9 late at night, leaving more than 100 people injured.
As of Tuesday, the police have arrested over 60 suspects.
Former HK chief secretary's appeal against bribery conviction dismissed
Former Hong Kong Chief Secretary Hui Si-yan and three others have had their appeal against bribery convictions dismissed by the region's Court of Appeal.
Hui and three others lost their appeals.
They include Sun Hung Kai Properties' former co-chairman and former executive director, as well as a former official of the Hong Kong stock exchange.
Hui was convicted of five counts of misconduct and corruption, and sentenced to seven years in prison in December 2014 for receiving a huge amount of money from Sun Hung Kai's senior staff.
The other three were sentenced to five years in prison.
China's ODI posts strong growth in Jan.
China's non-financial outbound direct investment has posted strong growth of nearly 20 percent year on year in January.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, 12 billion U.S. dollars of ODI came out from China last month.
The increase accelerated from a 6 percent rise in December.
The authority attributed the spike to investment in the manufacturing sector, which soared nearly 90 percent year on year to 1.6 billion dollars in January.
Big overseas mergers and acquisitions boosted the ODI growth, making up over 90 percent of the total ODI.
China draws criteria to evaluate local poverty-relief work
Chinese authorities have published a set of criteria for assessing local poverty-relief work.
The move aims to deliver on the government's target of lifting all people out of poverty by 2020.
The evaluation criteria will check on local authorities' efforts to reduce the impoverished population, as well as whether poverty relief funds are used effectively.
It will apply to 22 provinces and regions in central and west China.
Chinese Deputy FM meets S. Korea FM
Visiting China's Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui says China opposes the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system on the Korean Peninsula.
Zhang made the remark on Tuesday after a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Lim Sung-nam in Seoul.
He said the parties related to the matter of THAAD deployment should act discreetly on the matter.
Turkey says discontent over France reaction to shelling of Syria's PYD
Turkey has expressed dissatisfaction over France's reaction to the Turkish military's intervention against Syria's Democratic Union Party.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made Turkey's stance clear in a phone call with France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Monday.
The French Foreign Ministry earlier called on Turkey to stop its shelling of the group's positions.
Cavusoglu said Turkey was fighting a terror organization in Syria, adding that French authorities were well-aware of the battle.
Merkel welcomes Israeli PM Netanyahu
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Berlin.
The two leaders will lead an annual joint Cabinet session.
Observers say the meetings highlight the strong bond between Israel and Germany, seven decades after the Holocaust.
Hollande, Cameron to discuss deal to keep Britain in EU
British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande have met in Paris to discuss a deal to keep Britain in the European Union.
The 28 European Union heads of state and government are set to debate a draft deal brokered by summit chairman Donald Tusk in Brussels on Thursday.
If the 28 leaders agree to a deal, Cameron is expected to call the referendum and campaign to stay in the EU.
The British Prime Minister is also due to meet the leaders of European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday.
North Korea celebrates birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il
Tuesday is the 74th birth anniversary of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
The country held an international figure skating festival on Monday in Pyongyang to celebrate the special day.
