Beijing getting prepared for more rain heading into the weekend

Authorities here in Beijing have been taking precautionary measures as more rain is expected to soak the capital heading into the weekend.
The Beijing Drainage Group has deployed some 13-hundred workers across the city to deal with the likely flooding.
Beijing was hit by the heaviest rainfall in over 60 years over the weekend.
The deluge in the capital has left a reported 37 people dead, most in the Fangshan District in southwest Beijing.
Across the country, some 110 people have died since rainstorms began to sweep the country last Friday.
Chinese VP stresses strengthening China-U.S. ties

Chinese vice President Xi Jinping says the United States and China should continue to strengthen mutual trust and properly handle differences.
Xi Jinping made the comments during his meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon in Beijing.
The Chinese vice president says the relationship between the two sides is "standing at a crucial historical juncture".
Donilon says the US side will work with China to build a "new model" for relationships between major powers.
China, US human rights talks "constructive"

Officials from China and the United States say the latest round of human rights talks between the two sides held in Washington earlier this week were constructive.
Chinese officials say the dialogue helped "improve mutual understanding and reduce misunderstanding".
The US side spoke positively of China's progress in the field of human rights, saying it is willing to work with Beijing on this issue via "continued dialogue".
Negotiation only way to settle Palestine-Israel issue: Chinese UN envoy

China says dialogue and negotiations are the only way to settle the disputes between Palestine and Israel.
Chinese deputy permanent representative to the UN Wang Min made the comments at a Security Council open debate on the Middle East situation.
The UN representative also reiterated China's stance on the establishment of a state of Palestine with full sovereignty and independence.
Wang Min says China is always against the Israeli construction of settlements in occupied Palestine territory.
China completes first data relay satellite network system

China has launched another communications satellite, completing the country's first data relay satellite network system.
The Tianlian I-03 satellite blasted off from southwestern China's Sichuan Wednesday morning.
It is set to join its two predecessors to complete the Tianlian global network operation.
Space officials say the mission is designed to provide measurement and control services and as well as serving China's manned space program.
Harbin court hears hospital attack case

A court in Heilongjiang's capital Harbin is hearing the case of a hospital attack earlier this year that left one person dead and 3-others hurt.
18-year old Li Mengnan is facing a charge of intentional homicide, after he allegedly attacked four medical workers at a hospital in Harbin in March.
Prosecutors say he carried out the attack due to "misunderstandings towards the treatment program prescribed by doctors."
An intern at the hospital was stabbed to death.
Li Mengnan was later arrested after trying to commit suicide.
He was treated in the same hospital where the attacks took place.
The court has yet to announce a verdict.
Yi Jianlian to carry flag for Team China

Chinese basketball player Yi Jianlian has been selected to be China's flag-bearer for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.
The 24-year old says he's honored and grateful to carry China's flag.
Yi is an NBA professional who last played with the Washington Wizards before returning to China.
Kim Jong-un marriage confirmed

North Korean state media is reporting that the country's top leader, Kim Jong-un, has got married.
The official KCNA news agency is reporting that Kim has tied the knot with married "Comrade Ri Sol-Ju".
The bride is apparently the same woman who has been appearing in public with Kim Jong-un for the past couple of weeks.
It's unclear when the two were married.
Applications for guns soar after shooting

The number of people seeking to buy guns in the US state of Colorado has soared since last week's mass shooting in a cinema in the town of Aurora.
In the three days after the shooting, applications for the background check needed to purchase weapons were up by 43 percent on the previous week.
12 people were killed and 58 injured last Friday when 24 year old James Holmes fired at random into a cinema audience watching the new Batman movie. 20 remain in a serious condition.
Holmes is believed to have purchased the weapons and thousands of round of ammunition on the Internet.
The shooting has reopened the debate in the US media over the availability of firearms.
Syria clashes in Damascus, Aleppo

The United Nations Secretary General has urged world leaders to stop the "slaughter" in Syria, as government troops reportedly approached the city of Aleppo.
His comments come as government troops with tanks and armored vehicles prepared to retake areas of Syria's second city held by rebels.
Meanwhile, activists report that 23 people were killed by government forces in the Qaboun district of the capital Damascus.
6 die in helicopter crash in France

Six people have died in a helicopter crash in a mountainous area of Provence in southwestern France.
The Cougar helicopter is believed to have hit overhead electricity cables before plunging into a deep ravine.
The helicopter - which belonged to the Eurocopter Company - was taking part in a test flight involving pilots and engineers.