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Chinese leaders attend Spring Festival celebration

Chinese leaders have joined representatives of Beijing residents and the People's Liberation Army to watch a show to mark the upcoming traditional Chinese New Year.

President Hu Jintao and other leaders watched the performance themed on close army-civilian relations in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The traditional Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on Feb. 14 this year

8 trapped workers rescued in southwest China

The eight workers who were trapped Friday in a collapsed railway tunnel in southwestern Guizhou Province have been rescued.

Rescuers drilled a shaft leading to the trapped workers and took them out from the tunnel. The eight people are in good health conditions and can walk with the help of the rescuers.

They were sent to hospital for medical examinations.

High-speed rail linking central, western China starts operation

A high-speed railway linking central China city Zhengzhou and northwestern city Xi'an, has been put into operation.

The 505-km Zhengzhou-Xi'an high-speed railway, the first of its kind in central and western China, cuts the travel time between the two cities from former more than six hours to less than two hours.

The first train traveled at 350 kilometers per hour between the two cities Saturday.

A total of 14 trains will be traveling between Zhengzhou and Xi'an everyday.

Drought worsens in southwestern China's Yunnan Province

A total of 4.9 million people are facing water shortages in southwestern Yunnan Province as drought continues to ravage south China.

The Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters says the drought has affected over 3.8 million hectares of crops and threatened water supply for voer 3 million heads of livestock.

It says Yunnan has mobilized 6.4 million people to fight the drought.

The headquarters urged authorities in drought-hit areas including Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Chongqing and Sichuan to step up efforts in fighting drought and ensure water supply for people and agricultural uses.

China strengthens efforts to fight melamine-tainted milk products

The Chinese Central Government has sent eight inspection working groups to 16 provincial areas nationwide to prevent the melamine-tainted milk powder, which killed at least six in 2008, from being reclaimed illegally in producing milk products.

Leftovers of milk powder contaminated by melamine were sealed in 2008 and required to be destroyed, but some might have been used as raw materials for diary products illegally in certain areas, according to local police.

China's food safety authorities on Feb. 1 launched a 10-day checks for melamine-tainted milk products across the country.

All relevant issues to be discussed in Pyongyang: UN envoy

A UN envoy says that he plans to discuss all relevant issues with North Korean officials during his visit in Pyongyang next week.

Lynn Pascoe, under-secretary-general of the United Nations for political affairs made the remarks following a meeting with Seoul's chief nuclear negotiator Wi Sung-lac and when asked by local reporters whether he will discuss with North Korean officials on the possibility of lifting the international sanctions imposed by the United Nations after Pyongyang tested long-range rockets in April and a nuclear bomb in May.

Pascoe arrived in Soul Saturday and is set to head to North Korea on Tuesday.

Iran FM says he has "very good" meeting with IAEA leader

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says he has a "very good meeting" with Yukiya Amano, new chief of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on nuclear fuel swap.

Mottaki told reporters on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference that he and Amano discussed and exchanged views on a wide range of issues and the proposal that is on the table.

At issue is a possible scheme on shipping Tehran's low-enriched uranium abroad in exchange for higher-grade fuel it could use in a civil-purpose reactor.

Mottaki stressed that there is a political will for the swap while modalities and mechanisms to enrich uranium abroad still need to be clarified.

G-7 financial ministers' meeting ends in Iqaluit, Canada

The G-7 financial ministers' meeting has closed in Iqaluit, a Canadian Arctic city, promising to move forward to support the recovery and development of global economic and financial stability and balanced development.

Canadian Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty said at a joint press conference that the global economic situation has improved and there is established recovery, but the most rich nations group is committed to continue the stimulus.

Two planes collide in Colorado, killing at least three

Two small planes have collided in Colorado, killing at least three people.

A local official says the three dead came from both of the planes that crashed. But there's no immediate information on how many people were flying in each of the planes.

Chinese Embassy in Nepal hosts Tibetan Tiger New Year reception

The Chinese Embassy in Nepal has hosted a reception in Nepali capital Kathmandu to celebrate the Tibetan Tiger New Year.

More than 600 Tibetan compatriots residing in Nepal attended the reception and celebrated the festival with Embassy staff together.