China says patrols near Diaoyu Islands "lawful"
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman has defended recent naval activity by Chinese patrol boats near the Diaoyu Islands as "lawful."
Liu Weimin says Chinese law enforcement vessels were patrolling waters close to the Diaoyu Islands to maintain normal order and safeguard the country's maritime rights and interests.
He reiterated that the Diaoyu Islands and its adjacent islets were part of China's territory.
The State Oceanic Administration issued a statement, saying that two of its surveillance ships had arrived in the area to begin regular patrols.

China's concerns over DPRK's planned satellite launch
China has voiced concern over North Korea's plan to launch a satellite in April.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun met with North Korean ambassador to China on Friday to express China's worry over the matter.
Zhang Zhijun said China had taken note of North Korea's satellite plan as well as the reaction from the international community. China believes it is the common obligation, and in common interests of, all parties concerned to maintain the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and northeast Asia.
China hopes parties concerned stay calm and exercise restraint and avoid escalation of tension that may lead to a more complicated situation.
North Korea has announced it will launch in April an "earth observation" satellite, or the Kwangmyongsong-3, using a long-range rocket to mark the 100th birthday of its late leader Kim Il-Sung.
South Korea is denouncing the planned launch as a "grave provocation".
The United States says it is "very hard" to go forward with its planned food assistance to North Korea after the latter announced a plan to launch a satellite.

China supports Annan's Syria mediation efforts
China says it supports Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan's mediation efforts concerning the Syrian crisis, calling upon the international community to support Annan's efforts and create conditions for his mediation.
Chinese ambassador to the UN Li Baodong made the remarks after attending the Security Council informal consultation and hearing Annan's briefing via video-link from Geneva.
He said China hopes that all relevant parties in Syria will cooperate with and support Annan's mediation efforts, stop violence immediately, show political will and flexibility, and launch the process of political dialogue at an early date.

Turkish chopper crashes in Kabul, 12 soldiers killed

土耳其直升機(jī)在阿富汗墜毀，12名士兵死亡
A Turkish military helicopter has crashed in the Afghan capital of Kabul, killing 12 soldiers.
Local media reports say the helicopter crashed into a house on the outskirts of Kabul. Rescue teams are searching through the wreckage.
The cause of the crash is not yet known.

Investigation to deadly bus crash continues as victims' bodies flown back to Belgium

The bodies of 22 children and six adults killed in a bus crash in southwest Switzerland have been brought back to Belgium while the probe into causes of the fatal accident continues.
An early-stage report released by local investigators partly ruled out the theory of some Swiss and Belgian media that the driver was seen inserting a disc into the boarding entertainment system shortly before the crash.
Investigators also ruled out speeding, drunk driving and sickness of the driver. The analysis of the autopsy results is still under way.

China cracking down on illegal food additives
China's food and drug watchdog has urged a severe crackdown in 2012 on the addition of non-edible substances to food production, in a move to enhance food safety.
In a statement posted on its website, the State Food and Drug Administration called for intensified regulation of catering businesses with self-made hotpot seasoning, beverages and flavorings, and "severely fighting illegal acts of using non-food substances including poppy capsules and powder, Sudan Red and antibiotics."
The administration also demanded more scrutiny of the overuse of food additives, and standardizing the purchase, storage and use of the substances, according to the statement.

McDonald required to apologize over food safety
China's State Food and Drug Administration has asked McDonald's China franchises to inspect food safety in all of its restaurants across the country. McDonald's has also been asked to apologize to Chinese consumers.
The move comes after media reports uncovering problem products sold by the leading global restaurant chain.
China Central Television discovered that a McDonald's restaurant in Beijing altered the sell by date on pies to past their expiration date, and sold them to customers.
Sophia Luan, a China spokeswoman for McDonald's, says the company will investigate the matter and re-train its employees to ensure product safety.
Meanwhile, food quality problems have also been found at the retail giant Carrefour's China stores