介绍:
China and Ireland expect broader cooperation on trade and investment
New trade and investment agreements between Ireland and China have been signed as part of Irish President Michael Higgins' 9-day visit to Beijing.
The Tuesday morning ceremony has seen a pair of deals signed in the education and environment sectors.
The deals themselves are worth over 15-million dollars.
A number of other deals in areas such as people-people exchanges, science and technology are expected to be signed during Michael Higgins' time here in China.
Growth in trade between Ireland and China has grown over 125-percent over the past decade, making China Ireland's leading trade partner in Asia.
China criticizes US report concerning South China Sea issue
The Chinese government is blasting a recently-released report from US authorities over China's sovereignty over the South China Sea.
The report, released by the US State Department last week, suggests China's claims in the South China Sea are both unclear and inconsistent.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei says the report goes against previous pledges made by Washington, which is not to take a position or sides on the South China Sea issue.
Hong says the report is also not helpful to the resolution of the South China Sea issue and the peace and stability of the South China Sea.
Chinese mainland top negotiator arrives in Taiwan
The president of the mainland-based Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait, Chen Deming, is now in Taiwan to start a 8-day visit to the island.
As part of the annual exchanges between the Association and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation, Chen's trip includes a review of Taiwan's agriculture, bio-technology, green tourism, volunteer groups and senior citizen welfare sectors.
Chen Deming has already visited the Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and a residential complex built by Chang Gung for senior citizens in the nearby city of Taoyuan.
Chinese shares tumble more than 5 percent
Chinese shares tanked today, with a major sell off in Shanghai knocking the benchmark exchange down by more than 5-percent, the sharpest fall in more than five years.
Shanghai has closed below the psychological 3-thousand-point mark again.
Today's sell-off has ended 5-straight days of rallies on the Shanghai exchange.
The Shanghai Composite Index closed down 5.5-percent to finish at 2856.
The Shenzhen Component Index also saw a major sell-off, down over 4 percent.
South Korea Launches revamp of its Free Economic Zones
The South Korean government has launched a major revamp of its Free Economic Zones.
The revamp will offer huge tax and rent deductions for foreign companies operating in the Zones.
Foreign investors who set up operations in South Korea's Free Economic Zones are going to be given full exemption from both national and local taxes.
Foreign companies which invest more than a million dollars or employ more than 300 people won't have to pay rent.
South Korean authorities are also instituting a negative list, similar to that in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.
The South Korean government says its hoping to make the country the top destination for foreign direct investment in Asia ahead of Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Israel approves new bill to detain illegal migrants without trial
Israeli lawmakers have approved a controversial new bill which will allow authorities to detain African asylum seekers for up to 20 months without trial.
The new legislation, approved by the Israeli Parliament, is a re-tooling of an existing bill which has already been shot-down twice by the Israeli Supreme Court.
It's widely expected rights groups are going to appeal the new bill as well.
Israel is home to close to 50-thousand illegal migrants from Africa, many of whom have entered the country illegally through Egypt.
Prosecutors begin appeal against sentence for Oscar Pistorius
A judge in South Africa is expected to rule today on whether or not prosecutors can appeal the 5-year jail sentence given to Oscar Pistorius.
The Olympic and Paralympic sprinter was sentenced to 5-years behind bars in October for culpable homicide in the shooting death of his girlfriend last year.
Prosecutors contend the sentence is too light, and are appealing for a tougher sentence.
They've also vowed to appeal Pistorius' acquittal of the murder charges originally laid against him.
Pistorius is currently serving his sentence in the hospital wing of a prison in Pretoria.
He's eligible to apply for house arrest after serving just ten months.
Harald Krueger to replace Norbert Reithofer as BMW Chief
Harald Krueger is set to become chair of BMW, replacing Norbert Reithofer.
Krueger is set to take over in May.
Reithofer is moving to take over as the chair of BMW's Supervisory Board.
The 58-year-old current chair, who joined BMW in 1987, was supposed to be on-contract until 2016.
BMW hasn't offered an official explanation for the changes.
India tests indigenously developed rocket
India has successfully testfired an advanced version of an indigenously developed from a defense base in the country's east.
The Mark-2 version of Pinaka rockets, with a range of over 60-kilometers, is an unguided rocket system meant to neutralize large areas with rapid salvos.
It has undergone several tests since 1995, and is now an active part of the Indian army.
Observers say the system's high rate of fire will give the Indian army an edge in low-intensity conflict situations.
