China vowed to protect its maritime rights and said is fully confident and capable of addressing security threats and provocations, amid escalating tensions over the disputed South China Sea region after a UN-backed tribunal struck down Beijing’s claims over the strategic waters.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will “unswervingly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests including territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests.
China, which boycotted the tribunal, has rejected the verdict on the strategic waters over which the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims.
Yemeni Government Delegation Quits Talks
Yemen’s government delegation to the peace talks has decided to leave Kuwait after the rebel side rejected a draft peace plan proposed by the United Nations.
The delegation is returning to Riyadh after informing UN special envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed that it was ready to sign the proposed peace plan which the rebels rejected.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels and their allies, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s loyalists, rejected the peace plan, saying it was incomplete. According to the government, the draft plan calls for the rebels to withdraw from the capital Sana’a and two major cities, hand over heavy arms and return state institutions they seized in September 2014.
New research has found methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin, in sea ice in the Southern Ocean.
The results are the first to show that sea ice bacteria can change mercury into methylmercury, a more toxic form that can contaminate the marine environment, including fish and birds.
Narsingh Yadav was cleared to compete in the Rio Olympics after being exonerated of doping charges by the National Anti-Doping Agency, which ruled that the wrestler was a victim of sabotage and deserved the benefit of doubt.