China

Former envoy to US takes new post

Former Chinese ambassador to the United States Zhang Yesui has taken up the post of vice-minister of foreign affairs, according to the Foreign Ministry. At his farewell reception last week in Washington, Zhang called for China and the US to concentrate their efforts on expanding cooperation, rather than focusing on their differences. Zhang has been China's top diplomat to the US since 2010 after serving as the country's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations for three years.

Hackers target military websites

The Ministry of National Defense and China Military Online websites suffered increasing and serious threats from hacking attacks, a number of which came from the United States last year, the ministry said on Thursday. According to the IP addresses, the two websites were hacked from overseas an average of 144,000 times a month in 2012, and 62.9 percent of these attacks came from the US, ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said at a monthly news conference.

Dprk

Leader told he has 'friend for life'

Ex-NBA star Dennis Rodman met Kim Jong-un on Thursday on the third day of his improbable journey to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, telling the leader "You have a friend for life," a delegation spokesman said. Rodman and Kim sat side by side at an exhibition game, chatting as they watched players from the DPRK and the US play on mixed teams, said Alex Detrick, a spokesman for the New York-based VICE media company.

Yemen

Swiss woman freed from kidnappers

A Swiss researcher kidnapped almost a year ago in Yemen has been freed and is safe and in good health, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. The woman, whose name has not been released, was abducted on March 13, 2012, in the port city of Hodeida, where she was a researcher at an institute.

Syria

US to give $60m in aid to opposition

US Secretary of State John Kerry says the Obama administration will provide the Syrian opposition with an additional $60 million in assistance and will for the first time provide nonlethal aid like food and medical supplies to rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad. Kerry announced the new support and the policy shift on Thursday in Rome.

Thailand

Govt to hold peace talks with rebels

Thailand's government signed a breakthrough deal with Muslim insurgents for the first time ever on Thursday, agreeing to hold talks to ease nearly a decade of violence in the country's southern provinces that has killed more than 5,000 people. The agreement was announced in Malaysia's largest city, Kuala Lumpur, between Thai authorities and the militant National Revolution Front.

China Daily-AFP-AP

(China Daily 03/01/2013 page12)