Headline News 2014 April 4

China joins underwater search for missing plane's black box Search teams have begun to hunt for the black box of the missing Malaysian airliner. An Australian naval vessel was using a towed pinger locator from the US Navy, while a British survey ship which has similar capabilities was also searching. Meanwhile, Chinese patrol ship Haixun 01 also deployed a rescue boat carrying a black box detector. The underwater search begins as the battery life of the cockpit communications recorder dwindles. Angus Houston is the Chief Coordinator of the search. "On best advice the locator beacon will last about a month before it ceases its transmissions so we're now getting pretty close to the time when it might expire." He also said there is a great possibility of finding some debris on the water's surface. Up to 14 planes and nine ships were taking part in today's search. One dead after China building collapse One person has died in hospital after being rescued from the rubble of a residential building that collapsed in Fenghua in east China's Zhejiang Province this morning. The female victim was among six people pulled out of the debris. One more person, a teenage girl, is still being trapped. Part of the five-story building, or 15 out of its total of 40 apartments, collapsed at around 9 a.m. The building was identified as a dangerous structure during a citywide building safety inspection late last year. 12 buried NE China workers all alive Rescuers have confirmed that 12 workers trapped under a collapsed tunnel in northeast China for two days are all alive and in good condition. A high-speed rail tunnel under construction in Hunchun City collapsed early Wednesday when 12 workers were pouring concrete to reinforce it. Rescuers have now been able to deliver food to the trapped workers through a passage they bored to the collapsed tunnel. Philippine military tags Abu Sayyaf in Sabah kidnapping A senior Philippine official says the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf may be behind the kidnapping of a Chinese tourist and a Filipino worker from a resort in Sabah, Malaysia. Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda made the remarks, citing a report from the Armed Forces. He said the kidnappers boarded a white speed boat together with the victims then fled towards the Philippine Sea. Government security forces have launched a search operation. Two foreign journalists shot in E. Afghanistan An Afghan police officer has opened fire on two female Western journalists in the eastern province of Khost, killing one and seriously injuring another. Security officials say the police officer behind the attack is currently being questioned in custody, The victims were working for the Associated Press. A local official says the two journalists were shot inside a district police headquarters. The incident comes as Afghanistan intensifies security ahead of presidential elections on Saturday, in response to threats of violence by the Taliban. Nearly 200,000 troops have been deployed across the country to prevent attacks by the Taliban. Weary Chileans head for hills as earthquake aftershocks continue Chilean residents fearful of tsunamis are fleeing into the hills as the aftershocks from a massive 8.2 magnitude quake enter a fourth day on Friday. The quake on Tuesday was blamed for six deaths and residents have been hit by dozens of aftershocks, including a powerful 7.6 magnitude quake on Wednesday night. Both quakes triggered tsunami warnings and evacuations. Basic services are still out in Iquique, the port city nearest the epicenter. Abe eyes summit talks with Obama on April 24 in Tokyo Japan says Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold summit talks with U.S. President Barack Obama on April 24 in Tokyo. Obama will be the first U.S. president to visit Japan since Bill Clinton in April 1996. The trip is part of Obama's four-nation Asian tour that will also take him to South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines. More mass fainting occur at Cambodian garment factories At least 102 workers have fainted at two garment factories in Cambodia, a day after about 118 workers fell sick in two other factories. The workers have been sent to hospital and no deaths have been reported. Police say insecticide was blamed for the mass fainting at one factory, while others were probably caused by poor working environment in combination with hot weather. Garment industry is the kingdom's largest foreign exchange earner, reaping revenues of 5.5 billion U.S. dollars last year. The sector comprises some 900 factories with roughly 600,000 workers.