China's manned spacecraft in final preparations for mid-June launch
China's Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft is in final preparations for its launch in mid-June.
Shenzhou-9 will undertake China's first manned space docking procedure with the orbiting Tiangong-1 lab module，and will feature the country's first ever female astronaut.
The commander of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Wang Jun says that the Command and Control Centre has switched to "ready to launch" status.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's manned space program.
China's navy to conduct drill in west Pacific
The Ministry of National Defense has announced China's navy fleet will conduct exercises in the western Pacific Ocean.
The ministry said the annual drill is not aimed at any specific country or target and is in accordance with related international laws and practices.
It added that China hopes all relevant sides will respect China's maritime rights, such as freedom of navigation.
A precise date for the exercises hasn't been given.
China firmly opposes the spread of WMD:MOFA
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin says that China firmly opposes the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means of their delivery.
During a press briefing, Liu denied that China exported missile carriers to North Korea last August.
Earlier, Japanese media citing Tokyo-government sources claimed that a Chinese company exported four large vessels to North Korea capable of transporting and launching ballistic missiles.
Liu Weimin claimed that China had strictly adhered to UN Security Council resolutions and seriously implemented the relevant Chinese laws and regulations.
Under UN Security Council resolutions from 2006 and 2009, all states are banned from assisting North Korea with its ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities and supplying heavy weapons.
China urges world to back Annan's Syria efforts, stick to political path
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi says the international community should fully support special envoy Kofi Annan's efforts on the Syria issue and adhere to the political path.
Yang reaffirmed China's stand in a telephone conversation with international special convoy Kofi Annan.
He said China is willing to continue working with the special envoy and relevant parties to seek a proper settlement to the Syria issue.
For his part, Annan briefed the minister about the idea of calling an international conference on the Syria crisis and creating a "contact group."
UN spokesman refuses to say if Syria crisis is civil war
The United Nations has refused to say whether the escalating conflict in Syria can now be viewed as a civil war.
Spokesman Martin Nesirky said the focus of the UN should be on finding a way to halt the violence, not on classification of the ongoing fighting.
Earlier this week, UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous hinted in a recent interview that the Syrian crisis could be termed a civil war.
Nesirky refused to endorse the remarks though he did concede concerns that the rising tide of violence was leading to the threat of a civil war.
Russia says against unilateral sanctions on Iran
Visiting Russian foreign minister says that Moscow is opposed to any kind of unilateral sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear program.
Sergei Lavrov made the remarks at a brief joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Ali-Akbar Salehi in Tehran.
Salehi said Iran is optimistic about the results of the upcoming nuclear talks with major world powers in Moscow next week, expressing hopes they would be constructive.
Iran and the P5+1 countries, namely the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, held the latest round of nuclear talks in Baghdad last month.
Spain rating slashed 3 notches by Moody's
Rating agency Moody's has cut its rating for Spanish government debt by three notches to Baa3 from A3, one notch above junk rating.
The move follows the 100 billion-euro bailout of the country's banks by fellow eurozone countries agreed over the weekend.
The agency says the newly approved euro zone plan to help the country's banks will increase the its debt burden.
Moody's also cites the Spanish government's limited access to international debt markets and the weakness of the country's economy.
The rating could be set for further downgrades over the next three months.
Putin urged Poland to protect foreign fans during Euro 2012
Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged organisers of the Euro 2012 football tournament in Poland and Ukraine to protect the safety of foreign fans at the event.
In a phone call to his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk, Putin voiced his concern over the violence between Russian and Polish fans before and after Tuesday's group match between the two teams in Warsaw.
Meanwhile, European football's governing body UEFA have fined the Russian Football Federation around 150,000 USD as punishment for the behaviour of their fans during Russia's opening group match against the Czech Republic.