Hourly News 每日新闻 2014-03-09

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Malaysian Airlines says there is still no information on the location of its flight MH 370, more than 24 hours after it lost contact with ground.

The airline spokesman said early Sunday that rescue teams have "failed to find evidence of any wreckage¹." 

The flight, a Boeing 777-200, lost contact with ground control at 1:20 a.m. Beijing time on Saturday when it was flying over the Ho Chi Minh air traffic control area in Vietnam. 

On board were 227 passengers from 14 countries, including 154 Chinese, and 12 Malaysian flight crew. 

A team of 93 staff from the airline arrived in Beijing late Saturday night. The spokesman said they are here mainly to take care of the relatives of those on board the missing flight. 

Once the whereabouts of the aircraft is determined², the airline will fly members of the families to the location, according to the spokesman.

 

Xi urges Malaysia flight emergency response

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged emergency measures over the missing Malaysian flight bound for Beijing with more than 150 Chinese nationals on board.

Xi Jinping ordered the Ministry³ of Foreign Affairs as well as Chinese embassies and consulates⁴ to strengthen contact with departments of relevant countries and pay close attention to the search and rescue work for the plane. 

He said all-out efforts must be made for any emergency treatment necessary in the aftermath of the incident.

 

Chinese Premier⁵ asks Malaysia to act quickly over missing plane

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held emergency talks over the phone Saturday with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on the loss of contact of the Malaysia Airlines flight.

Premier Li said the Chinese government and people were deeply concerned about the safety of all 239 people onboard, including 154 Chinese nationals.

He expected Malaysia to exert all efforts to cooperate with relevant countries, such as Vietnam, to find the missing plane as soon as possible.

Najib extended his deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the Chinese passengers. 

Malaysia is sending a working group to Beijing to help deal with matters relating to the tragedy, and was ready to maintain contact and cooperation with China in this regard.

 

U.S. investigates terrorism concerns over Malaysian plane: local media

The United States officials are investigating terrorism concerns over the missing Malaysia Airlines plane after two people listed as passengers of the MH 370 flight were confirmed not on board, and their passports were reported stolen in Thailand.

U.S. officials said they had found no clear link to terrorism, but they were checking into passenger manifests and going back through intelligence, according to NBC News.

 

Wang Yi meets the press

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi met the domestic and foreign press to elaborate on a raft of foreign policy issues in Beijing on Saturday.

Wang Yi listed three major developments in China's diplomatic strategy: a new model of major-country relations, an approach to diplomacy⁶ between neighboring countries emphasizing amity⁷, sincerity⁸, mutual⁹ benefit and inclusiveness, as well as a more balanced approach to upholding justice whilst pursuing national interests. 

The foreign minister highlighted the country's active role as a major responsible country in 2014. He said China will seek justice and uphold equality in international relations and protect the rights of developing countries in particular.

 

Chinese, French FMs discuss Ukraine situation by phone

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his French counterpart Laurent Fabius on Saturday further exchanged views on the current situation in Ukraine by phone.

Fabius briefed Wang Yi on the French view and position on the latest developments in Ukraine. 

Wang Yi expounded¹⁰ China's stances and viewpoints, and also called on all relevant parties to calm down and keep consultations¹¹ so as to seek a political solution to the crisis.

The two sides also exchanged views on China-France relations.

 

Russia ready to continue dialogue with Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says his country is willing to continue dialogue with the current Ukrainian authorities.

He also says Russia would push for an investigation¹² into reports of snipers cutting down scores of protestors in Kiev's Independence Square during the carnage preceding Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's ouster. 

A recently disclosed telephone call between Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton indicated the snipers may not be linked to Yanukovych, as has been claimed by his opponents.

Russia has branded EU concern over Ukraine's democracy "fake", and urged an international independent probe into the snipers case.

 

Israel to give up "some settlements" for peace push: PM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel would agree to give up "some settlements" in the occupied West Bank in order to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians. 

Netanyahu's remarks mark the first time he states in Hebrew his willingness to exchange settlements for peace. 

The settlements, built on Palestinian land captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast War, are deemed by international law as illegal and are dubbed¹³ by the international community as an obstacle to peace.

 

Iran says expert-level nuclear talks with powers "constructive¹⁴"

An Iranian nuclear negotiator says expert-level nuclear talks between Iran and major world powers to discuss the details of a possible comprehensive deal on Tehran's nuclear program were "constructive, " .

Hamid Baeidinejad, the head of Iranian expert-level nuclear negotiating team, says the talks were "useful" and the subjects raised by both sides were discussed during the "serious" talks over the past three days.

He said this ahead of a fresh round of high-level nuclear talks in the Austrian capital Vienna on March 18.

 

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