BEIJING (AFP) - The death toll from a blast at an explosives plant in eastern China earlier this week rose to 33 on Thursday, as 20 missing people were declared dead, the state media reported.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand authorities say exports of frozen lamb, beef and mutton to China should resume next week after a paperwork problem resulted in hundreds of tonnes of meat getting stranded at Chinese docks.
TOKYO (AFP) - Three Chinese government ships sailed in waters around disputed islands controlled by Tokyo for about nine hours on Thursday, Japan's coastguard said.
BEIJING (REUTERS) - Mr Liu Yunshan, the Chinese Communist Party's fifth-ranked leader, told a North Korean envoy on Thursday that China hopes all parties would work towards denuclearisation and called on all sides to restart talks on North Korea as soon as possible, state television reported.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Mr CK Wu of Taiwan has confirmed he's running for president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), becoming the fourth candidate and the second from Asia bidding to replace Dr Jacques Rogge.
