Passenger plane crashes in NE China, 42 dead
A passenger plane with 96 people on board has crashed during landing in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province in thick fog.
42 people are confirmed dead while the remaining passengers are in hospital.
One of the survivors recounts what happened.
"I felt a bump in the back of the plane, then a few collisions. The inside of the plane began to fall apart, and stuff was falling. I rushed to the front as soon as the plane stopped,".
The captain is alive but unable to talk. The plane's black box has been found.
The plane, an ERJ-190 jet manufactured by the Brazilian aerospace conglomerate Embraer, had taken off from Heilongjiang's capital of Harbin shortly before 9 pm and crashed during landing at the airport in Yichun 40 minutes later.
Embraer says it is sending a team of specialists to the crash site to help investigate the accident.

Reaction from Philippine hostage crisis
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III has told Chinese ambassador Liu Jianchao that his government is ready to implement measures to ensure safety of Chinese tourists after the hostage-taking crisis ended in a bloodbath.
The Chinese ambassador wants answers from the Philippines.
"First we asked the other party to speed up the investigation process, and to let us know the result of the investigation. Second, we asked them to help us in completing the necessary procedure for the bodies of those that passed away. So that they can be returned to Hong Kong soon, back to their homes."
Philippine Interior Secretary Jessie Robredo acknowledges problems with how the crisis was handled.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have expressed their condolences to the families of the eight Hong Kong tourists killed.

Hu, Zuma Agree to upgrade relations
Chinese President Hu Jintao and South African President Jacob Zuma have signed the Beijing Declaration to upgrade bilateral ties to "comprehensive strategic partnership".
Zuma, who is on his first state visit to China since taking office, was accompanied by a 300-strong business delegation, the biggest ever for a South African leader's visit abroad.
The two sides have signed a dozen deals on investments in energy, power transmission and railways.

Clashes between Hezbollah and Sunni militants in Beirut kill two
Two Lebanese men, including a senior member of Hezbollah, have been killed in Beirut in clashes between supporters of the Shi'ite militant group and a Sunni faction.
The Lebanese army was deployed in the streets where the clashes happened. Security sources say the clashes are under control.
The clashes occurred as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called for Lebanon to ask Iran for help in equiping the Lebanese military after the U.S. freeze on aid.

More than 30 killed in hotel attack as violence escalates
Insurgents in army uniforms have stormed a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu killing more than 30 people including members of parliament.
Somali deputy prime minister Abdirahman Haji Aden Ibi says six politicians were among the victims.
The assault comes less than 24 hours after the country's most dangerous militant group - al-Shabab - threatened a "massive" war against the six-thousand African Union troops deployed in the capital.

White House to fight US court stem cell ruling
The US government says it will appeal after a US district court issued a temporary injunction blocking plans by the Obama administration to increase funding for human embryonic stem cell research.
The court ruled in favour of researchers who say the work involves the destruction of human embryos.
President Obama lifted a ban on federal funding for stem cell research in March.

10 dead after truck slams into crowd in east China
A truck has slammed into a roadside crowd in east China's Fujian Province, killing 10 people and injuring another two.
Local authorities say 8 people died instantly when the truck crashed into a group of villagers resting and chatting near a highway in the Xianfeng Village in Shouning County.
Police and work safety authorities are investigating the accident.

Second cub born to panda in Austria
Giant panda mother Yang Yang, currently living in Vienna's Schoenbrunn Zoo, has given birth to a second cub.
The cub is the second one naturally conceived and born in Europe in 25 years.
Yang Yang's first son was born on Aug. 23, 2007 in Vienna, exactly three years ago.
Yang Yang and another panda were lent to Austria in March, 2003 under an agreement signed by China and Austria,

Chinese increasingly use microblogs to get news
Microblogs have become a popular way for Chinese to receive the latest news and information, according to a survey conducted by the China Youth Daily.
The survey showed that 73.5 percent of respondents use microblogs to get the latest information while more than 66 percent use them to participate in online discussions.