Floods, landslides kill 15 in China's Shaanxi, 54 still missing
Floods and landslides in Shaanxi Province have left at least 15 people dead and another 54 are missing.
Torrential rains have cut off roads, disrupted power supplies, flattened homes, and flooded farmland in Ankang City, which has been worst hit.
Financial losses are estimated to be around 880 million yuan—that's about 129 million US dollars.

Dalian oil spill cleanup in full swing after pipeline explosion
More than 500 fishing boats loaded with oil absorbers and dispersants have now joined a massive clean-up operation that is underway off the coast of northeastern China's Dalian city.
More than 180 square kilometers of the ocean are covered in a dark-brown oil slick, after pipelines on the city's oil reserve base exploded three days ago.
Officials say fires at the base have now been extinguished. The cause of the blast is being investigated.

US Announces New Projects to Coax Suspicious Pakistanis
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced new aid projects worth 500 million US dollars to convince skeptical Pakistanis that American interests extend beyond the fight against Islamist militants.
The projects include hospitals and new dams for badly needed electricity as part of a 7.5 billion US dollar aid effort to win over Pakistani's suspicious about Washington's goals in the country and in neighboring Afghanistan.
Clinton made the announcement after holding talks with her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad.
"These projects are evidence of our commitment to broadening and deepening our strategic engagement with Pakistan."
Clinton acknowledged rebuilding trust between the countries would be difficult, comparing the effort to launching a rocket.

Iraqi Shiite cleric Al-Sadr meets Ayad Allawi
A leading anti-American cleric from Iraq has met with Ayad Allawi, the former Iraqi prime minister who is trying to become the country's leader once again.
Muqtada al-Sadr met with Allawi for talks in neighboring Syria.
The meeting could signal that an alliance is developing between the two sides, as Allawi has been locked in a power struggle with current Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, after elections back in March failed to produce a clear winner.
During the talks, al-Sadr said he forgave past disagreements between the two sides.
"For the benefit of Iraq I forget all the disagreements. If there were old disagreements I forget them in order to make the political process move forward. And I hope that in the future there would not be any disagreements with him (Allawi) or with anyone else."
Al-Sadr's enjoys strong support among Shiites in Iraq, making him a key player as political factions try to form a coalition government.

61 people killed as 2 trains crash in east India
61 people have now been confirmed dead and 125 others are injured in eastern India, after two trains collided in the state of West Bengal.
The crash happened in the town of Sainthia, when a speeding passenger train ploughed through another train waiting at a station. The impact was so intense that it sent the roof of one cart flying into an overpass above the tracks.
Indian railway minister Mamata Banerjee says the crash could be a case of sabotage by the country's Maoist rebels.
"We have some doubts in our mind. Let us go to the spot - we are searching all information. Because whatever happened is not (a) casual thing, it is not. So let us find out the details."
Rebels were blamed for another train derailment two months ago in the same state. That crash left 145 people dead.

China intensifies crackdown on illegal cooking oil
China's State Council has ordered authorities to step up their crackdown on the illegal sale and use of 'gutter oil' in restaurants.
The oil is made from discarded kitchen waste that is refined. While it looks clean, it actually contains toxins which can lead to cancer.
The state council says the crackdown should target places where the oil is produced, as well as small restaurants, construction sites and school canteens.

U.S. aircraft carrier to visit South Korea, participate in war games
The US defense department has announced that aircraft carrier USS George Washington will visit South Korea this week, and participate in joint naval exercises.
The warship will be accompanied by three destroyers from its strike group.
Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has arrived in South Korea for the first "2-plus-2 Talks" between the two nations.
Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and their South Korean counterparts are expected to finalize details for a series of military exercises to be conducted over the next several months.

Researchers photograph rare primate feared extinct for more than 60 years
In Sri Lanka, researchers have photographed a rare primate that was believed to have been extinct for more than 60 years.
The wide eyes of the Horton Plains Slender Loris were caught on camera after a lengthy survey of a forest in the central part of the country.
Team leader Saman Gamage said the quest to photograph and prove the mamal's existence began after a researcher first reported seeing its back in 2002.