China to expand critical illness insurance

 

BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- China will expand its critical illness insurance system to cover more urban and rural residents, the State Council, or China's cabinet, decided on Wednesday.
All participants in the country's basic medical insurance system for urban and rural residents will be protected against critical illness by the end of this year, according to a statement released after an executive meeting of the State Council presided over by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

China Focus: Late Chinese leader Wan Li cremated

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R, front) shakes hands with a family member of Wan Li, former chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, during Wan's funeral at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing, capital of China, July 22, 2015. The body of Wan Li was cremated on Wednesday morning in Beijing. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)
BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The body of Wan Li, former chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, was cremated on Wednesday morning in Beijing.
President Xi Jinping, premier Li Keqiang, former president Hu Jintao, and senior leaders Zhang Dejiang, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, attended the funeral at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery.

Solar-Powered Plane Grounded in Hawaii Until Next Spring

 
The solar-powered plane that is attempting an around-the-world flight to demonstrate environmentally-friendly technologies will be grounded in Hawaii through the spring of next year after suffering battery damage on a record-setting flight across the Pacific.

Crude Estimate: How Ending Iran Sanctions May Impact Oil Markets

Anticipation that a nuclear deal with Iran was imminent – and that it would ease international sanctions on the country's oil and gas sectors – briefly dropped crude oil prices to new lows Monday.
The country holds the fourth-largest oil reserves in the world, and it is sitting on another 20 to 40 million barrels in storage on-shore and in more than a dozen tankers floating off its coast – oil that could immediately flood a market already awash in cheap crude if and when sanctions are lifted.

Congress Skeptical But Largely Powerless to Scuttle Iran Nuclear Deal

Lawmakers must assemble a veto-proof majority if they hope to kill the the Obama administration's agreement with Iran. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he is skeptical of the nuclear deal with Iran announced Tuesday.

The Obama administration after years of negotiations, countless extensions and blown deadlines has reached its nuclear deal with Iran, but the historic agreement faces another hurdle in Congress, where lawmakers have 60 days to review it and cast an up-or-down vote.

Uber settles lawsuit over fatal SF crash that killed girl

 

Ride-hailing service Uber has reached a tentative settlement in a lawsuit brought by the family of a 6-year-old girl killed in San Francisco in 2013.
Sofia Liu was walking in a crosswalk with her family on New Year's Eve when she was allegedly struck and killed by Syed Muzzafar, an Uber driver at the time of the crash. In the wake of the crash, Muzzafar was charged with vehicular manslaughter and barred from working for the ride-hailing service.

Tanzania's ruling party works minister for presidential race

Tanzania's ruling party has named Works Minister, John Magufuli as its candidate for this year's presidential race

On Sunday, July 12, 2015 Tanzania's ruling party has named Works Minister, John Magufuli as its candidate for this year's presidential race, making him the most likely next leader of the east African nation.

The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party has ruled Tanzania for five decades and its candidate is widely expected to take over from

Zuma calls President Goodluck Jonathan over xenophobic attacks

Zuma and Jonathan agreed during the conversation that both their countries should continue to work together.

 

President Goodluck Jonathan has received a phone call from South African President, Jacob Zuma over the recent xenophobic attacks in SA.

Zuma and Jonathan agreed during the conversation that both their countries should continue to work together.

This was disclosed on Thursday, April 30, 2015, via a statement issued by the South African Presidency.

German spy agency helped US spy on France, EU headquarters - reports say

It further alleges that the US National Security Agency also spied on some European firms to check if they were breaking trade embargos.

 

Reports have emerged that Germany's national intelligence agency, the BND, spied on top French officials and the European Union's headquarters on behalf of United States intelligence.

BBC reports that the leaks from a secret BND report suggest that its monitoring station at Bad Aibling spied on France's presidential palace and foreign ministry, and the European Commission.

It further alleges that the US National Security Agency also spied on some European firms to check if they were breaking trade embargos.

Over N1.1 billion worth of ivory seized in record bust - Thailand

Thailand authorities have seized four tonnes of ivory hidden in what is being described as a record bust.

739 elephant tusks which were hidden in bean sacks and bound for Laos from the Democratic Republic of Congo, were seized upon arrival at a port in Bangkok on Saturday after the authorities received a tip-off.

The Customs Department's Director-General Somchai Sujjapongse told reporters that the shipment, labelled as beans, was shipped out of Congo in February and went through Malaysia before reaching the Thai capital.

In US, Experts say walking boosts outcomes for Prostate Cancer Survivors

Quality of life can deteriorate for men due to the effects of prostate cancer and its treatment. But a new study shows that engaging in a regular walking regimen can improve well-being.

 n the new study, a team led by Siobhan Phillips of Northwestern University in Chicago tracked outcomes for more than 51,000 early stage prostate cancer survivors in the United States, who completed a survey about their quality of life.

Many of the men reported having urinary and bowel problems, erectile dysfunction and other sexual function problems, as well as weight gain, fatigue and depression.

The men also provided information about the average amount of time per week they spent walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming and playing sports.

12 Nigerian & Ghanian Christian migrants killed following religious clash on a Boat in Italy

12 Nigerian and Ghanian migrants who were traveling on a boat with Muslim migrants from Libya to Italy were this week killed after the Muslims on the boat threw them into the sea following a religious clash on the boat. According to report, the motive for the attack was because the victims 'professed the Christian faith while the aggressors were Muslim'.

Kim Jong Un North Korean leader and wife in 1st public appearance this year [PHOTOS]

This would be the First Lady's first public appearance since December, 2014.

 

After months of not being seen in public, Ri Sol Ju the wife of North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, was finally spotted alongside her husband at an event at the Kim II Sung Stadium in Pyongyang

Another Nigerian sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug trafficking

 

A district court sitting in Tangerang, Jakartar in Indonesia has sentenced a Nigerian man, Simon Ezeaputa, to death following charges of drug trafficking.

According to Indonesian media, Simon, who is currently serving a 20 year jail term for offenses bothering on drug trafficking, was found guilty of running a drug cartel while in prison. He is accused to have recently engaged in a drug transaction that involved 350 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

Iraqi soldiers will retake Tikrit from ISIS in one week, commander promised the poeple.

A commander of the Iraqi forces stressed that his men will recapture the city of Tikrit from Islamic State (IS) within a week.

A commander of the Iraqi forces has disclosed to journalists that they will recapture the city of Tikrit from Islamic State (IS) within a week.

The head of a Shia militia brigade, fighting alongside government forces, said that IS militants still held about 70% of Tikrit’s town centre.

Pope Francis the head of Roman Catholic church admits he'll quit soon

The head of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Francis revealed that he may quit his position sooner than expected.
He made the revelation while speaking to a Mexican broadcaster as he marked his second anniversary as the Pope. ‘I have the feeling that my pontificate will be brief, four or five years; I do not know, even two or three. Two have already passed. It's a somewhat vague sensation,’ he said.

Incredible moment 'dead' premature baby came back to life after mum begged to cuddle him for a few last moments

First-time parents Kate and David Ogg were heartbroken when they were told one of their twins - born 2 minutes apart at just 26 weeks - had stopped breathing and had just moments to live. Thinking it was the only time they would have with the tiny boy they had already decided to name Jamie, Kate asked to be able to hold the lifeless child, and told David to climb into the hospital bed for a tender embrace.

Imagine this! Dog kicked by driver returns with other dogs & trashes his car (photos)

You know what they say, truth is stranger than fiction. So according to this report from China (and they have photos to back up their story) a man returned home in Chongqing China to find a stray dog lying in his parking spot. The man got out of the car, kicked the dog and parked. You would think that would be the end of the matter, right? Well, not as far as the dog was concerned. 

In Russia 5 dead, 25 missing following fire outbreak in shopping centre.

The fire reportedly broke out in a first-storey cafe at the center.


 

No fewer than 25 people are missing while 5 people are feared dead after a shopping center in the city of Kazan collapsed in a fire.