Xi urges opening new ground for development during inspection tour in Yunnan

The Chinese President has called on Yunnan Province to break new ground for its development in the pursuit of Chinese modernization.

Xi Jinping made the remarks during an inspection tour in the southwestern province on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday, President Xi visited a flower industry park in Lijiang. He emphasized the need to develop and refine the entire industrial chain.

He also visited the Old Town of Lijiang, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Chinese President learned about efforts to protect the local cultural heritage, and promote the integration of culture and tourism.

On Thursday, President Xi listened to a work report from the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government.

He called industrial transformation and upgrading a key part of the country's high-quality development.

He also highlighted the need to boost the local agriculture and tourism industries by adding industrial value, improving enterprise efficiency, and increasing incomes.

China's subsidy program spurs digital product consumption

China's efforts to spur consumer spending are off to a strong start this year.

The Ministry of Commerce says government subsidy measures are driving demand for digital products.

Since January, more than 42 million consumers have applied for subsidies to purchase smartphones and other digital devices.

The purchases have resulted in sales of over 66 billion yuan, or about nine billion U.S. dollars.

In the first two months of the year, retail sales of communication equipment reached 159 billion yuan, increasing 26 percent.

China implemented the subsidy program as part of broader efforts to bolster domestic consumption.

Israeli army starts "ground activity" in northern Gaza as Hamas fires rockets at Israel

The Israeli military says its forces have begun ground operations in northern Gaza.

It said the move followed a "targeted ground operation" launched Wednesday in central and southern Gaza.

Israeli authorities said the move aimed at establishing a "buffer zone" to separate northern and southern parts of the enclave.

Shortly after the military's announcement, air raid sirens sounded in central and southern Israel on Thursday.

The Israel Defense Forces said it intercepted a rocket fired from southern Gaza, but two others landed in open areas.

Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades said it had launched a rocket barrage at Tel Aviv.

Israel resumed strikes in Gaza on Tuesday after the ceasefire that began on Jan. 19 unraveled.

Gaza health authorities have reported over 470 Palestinian deaths since Tuesday.

Germany reopens embassy in Damascus after 13-year closure

Germany has reopened its embassy in Damascus after a 13-year closure.

This coincided with a visit by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

Germany closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012 when the country's brutal civil war began.

Several other European countries, such as Italy and Spain, have already reopened embassies in the Syrian capital.

Russia, U.S. likely to hold talks early next week: Kremlin

A Kremlin Spokesman says the next Russia-U.S. talks are likely to take place early next week as the two sides are working on the last nuances.

Dmitry Peskov said Moscow and Washington will discuss the Ukraine settlement and the Black Sea initiative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed these issues during their recent phone call.

The U.S. president's special envoy previously said the two sides will hold talks in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Malaysia approves exploration firm to resume search for MH370: official

Malaysia's Cabinet has agreed to terms and conditions on a service agreement with exploration firm Ocean Infinity to resume the search for the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.

The search will cover a 15,000-square-km area in the southern Indian Ocean, under a "no find, no fee" agreement, and the company will receive 70 million U.S. dollars if the wreckage is found.

The disappearance of MH370 was a tragic incident that occurred on March 8, 2014, when the plane, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, vanished from radar screens with all 239 people on board.

Boxing confirmed for Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games

The International Olympic Committee Session has voted to include boxing in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Boxing was initially excluded from LA 2028 due to governance issues surrounding its previous governing body, the International Boxing Association.