China to continue stepping up work safety efforts in 2010

China will continue to strengthen work safety this year according to a circular issued by the General Office of the State Council, China's cabinet.

The circular says this year will be another "Year of Work Safety", and local authorities should take precautionary measures, fulfill their responsibilities, and beef up inspection to ensure work safety and reduce accidents.

The State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) has urged local work safety agencies to conduct 24-hour work shifts and to report serious work safety accidents to the administration within three hours of the occurrence of the accidents.

China strengthens lending regulations, focuses on credit risk control

China's banking regulator has issued two regulations that aim to tighten banks' lending and risk management controls.

The China Banking Regulatory Commission says banks must set a lending quota after "prudent calculation" of borrowers' "actual demand" and must not lend excessively.

It says banks are also required to improve risk control after granting loans and to be aware of factors that might influence the repaying capabilities of borrowers through inspections and monitoring.

China to improve audit to government-funded project

China has issued a regulation on the implementation of the Audit Law, which requires close audit to government-funded projects, to make sure financial funds are properly used.

The regulation, issued by the State Council, asked auditing offices to conduct follow-up audit to organizations or projects, which are funded or partly funded by government.

The regulation will become effective on May 1 this year.

Under the regulation, audit authorities are entitled to launch special investigation into government departments or organizations on budget management or the management and utilization of state assets.

China to raise minimum purchasing prices for rice in 2010

China's top economic planner says it will raise the minimum state purchasing prices for rice in major rice-production areas by up to 10.5 percent in 2010.

The move is aimed to encourage farmers to increase grain production and help grain prices rise in a stable manner, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The state purchasing prices for japonica rice would rise 10.5 percent to 105 yuan (15.37 U.S. dollars) per 50 kilograms this year, according to the Commission.

The NDRC has already raised the minimum state purchasing prices for wheat in major production areas at the start of the year.

Drought continues to ravage southwest China, extending to north

A total of over 3.5 million hectares of crops in China have been affected by severe drought according to the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

The drought, mostly in China's southwestern provinces has damaged crops and caused water shortage to both people and livestock.

It has also started to affect China's northern regions.

The Office urged authorities in drought-hit areas to step up efforts in fighting drought and ensure water supply for people and agricultural uses.

China to tighten reins on animal feed to boost food quality, safety

Animal feed and feed additive companies are obliged to immediately recall products upon discovery of any defect that may result in harm to animals or people.

This is according to a draft regulation made public on Saturday.

The draft says producers should immediately cease production and sales of defective products, recall the products and report the situation to relevant administrative authorities.

The draft also imposes tougher punishment for abusive use of animal feed or feed additives.

Ukraine court accepts PM's request to withdraw election lawsuit

The Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine has accepted Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's request to withdraw her lawsuit against the Feb. 7 presidential runoff results.

Judge Alexander Nechitailo said the court has accepted the withdrawal but rejected any criticism of its procedures.

Earlier Saturday, Tymoshenko withdrew her legal challenge to the presidential runoff vote, claiming she could not win because the court refused to consider documents that she said showed election fraud.

Pakistan air raids kill 30 militants: army

Pakistani army says its fighter planes killed at 30 Taliban-linked militants in South Waziristan tribal region on Saturday.

Pakistani forces launched major ground operation in South Waziristan tribal region in October last year, killings hundreds of militants.

Also on Saturday, a suicide attack and a bomb blast, targeting police stations in Pakistan's northwest, killed a police officer and injured four others.

Morocco minaret collapse death toll rises to 41

Death toll from a collapse of a mosque minaret during a Friday prayer in northern Morocco has risen to 41.

72 people were injured.

A civil protection official says the minaret and part of the ceiling of the 16th-century Khnata bent Bekkar mosque in the old city of Meknes broke down onto the courtyard when worshippers were about to perform the Friday prayer.

King Mohammed VI has sent interior and Islamic affairs ministers to the scene to supervise rescue operations.

The monarch also ordered the re-building of the mosque as soon as possible.

Dutch government falls over Afghanistan mission

The Dutch government coalition collapsed early Saturday over a NATO request to extend the country's military mission to Afghanistan.