Hourly News updated14:00 2011/11/16

 China issues white paper on poverty reduction in rural areas

The Chinese government has released a white paper on its poverty reduction efforts in the past decade, highlighting achievements and challenge for China to bring common prosperity to its more than 1.3 billion people. 
It's the Chinese government's second white paper on poverty reduction after it issued the first edition in 2001. 
According to the white paper, China's poverty-stricken rural population fell from 94.2 million at the end of 2000 to about 27 million at the end of 2010, an equivalent to lifting the entire population of France out of poverty in the past decade. 
China defines those who earn less than 200 U.S. dollars a year as "poor people" after the nation raised the national poverty line for rural residents from 865 yuan in 2000 to about 1,300 yuan in 2010.
 
 
U.S. firms have not retreated from Chinese investment: MOC
China's Ministry 1 of Commerce has denied reports that U.S. firms have "massively retreated" from investing in China.
A ministry spokesman says China remains 2 one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world and the general outlook for the U.S. future investment in China will remain fine.
However, he admits that the economic woes 3 in the United States, as well as the country's policies to boost domestic manufacturing and inward investment, have had an effect on the willingness of foreign investors 4 to invest in China's high-value industries.
 
 
Expressway pile-up kills four, injures nine in NW China's Xinjiang
Four people have been killed and nine others injured in an expressway pile-up that involved 13 automobiles 5 in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous 6 Region.
The accident happened last night on an expressway that links Turfan with Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang.
The four dead people were from a sedan that was stuck between two other vehicles.
Heavy fog, as well as rain and snow during the daytime were thought to blame for the tragedy.
 
 
Obama arrives Canberra of Australia
U.S. President Barack Obama has arrived in Canberra for his first visit to Australia since becoming president.
Security and humanitarian 7 relief in the Asia Pacific region will top the agenda for his visit, which also marks the 60th anniversary of the military alliance between the two countries.
Obama's tour includes a stop in Darwin of Northern Territory, where he is expected to announce plans to expand positioning U.S. military equipment in Australia, increasing access to bases and conducting more joint 8 exercises and training. 
Analysts 9 say the visit comes at a time when the U.S. is under pressure to assert its primary role in the Asia Pacific region.
 
 
Syria releases 1,180 prisoners detained during months-long unrest
The Syrian government has released nearly 12-hundred prisoners arrested during the 9-month unrest in the country.
This follows the release of over 550 others after the Eid al-Adha holiday by the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
Syria is coming under increased pressure in the Arab world to commit to an Arab League plan to end the violence in the country.
 
 
Borrowing cost hit 7 percent again as Mario Monti works to form a new government
Italy's Prime Minister-designate Mario Monti says he is ready to unveil his new government later today.
Monti says he just needs to put the final touches on his Cabinet and economic programme before outlining the results to Italy's President.
Monti has been meeting with political, business and union leaders to get everyone on board.
However, the markets are still showing signs of continuing nervousness about Italy's high debt level.
Italy's cost of borrowing has risen again above the 7 percent red line, putting Mario Monti under increased pressure.
 
 
Greek civil servants protest against new government's continuing austerity measures
Hundreds of Greek civil servants have walked off the job to protest the new administration's austerity plans.
New Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos has been tasked with continuing to implement 10 the unpopular austerity measures in the country to try to get the debt crisis under control.
Those measures include slashing 11 around 30-thousand civil servant jobs.
The final vote on the austerity measures are expected to take place in a couple of weeks.
 
 
Kazakh president calls early parliamentary elections
The president of Kazakhstan has dissolved the lower chamber 12 of parliament and called early parliamentary elections in January.
Last week, the lower chamber, dominated by Nursultan Nazarbayev's ruling party, asked the president to dissolve the chamber in a tentative move to change the one-party situation and admit opposition 13 presence.
Reports say amendments 14 to the electoral law will allow the entry of another party into parliament. 
The next parliamentary elections had been scheduled for August 2012. However, early elections were widely expected after Nazarbayev won another five-year term in April.