IN BRIEF (Page 8)

China

Xi meets Russian guest

President Xi Jinping met with Kirill, patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and head of the Russian Orthodox Church, on Friday. Xi lauded the church's consistent support for the development of China-Russia relations. Patriarch Kirill's visit, as part of religious exchanges between China and Russia, will help deepen mutual understanding, Xi said.

United Nations

Brahimi stays as Syria mediator

The UN-Arab League mediator in the Syria conflict, Lakhdar Brahimi, has agreed to stay on despite his frustration at the international deadlock that has prevented UN action to halt the 2-year-old civil conflict, the United Nations said on Thursday.

Syria

Damascus vows retaliation

Syria has threatened an immediate response to any new Israeli strike, as Hezbollah said Damascus will provide "game-changing" weapons despite two reported attacks on military sites. Damascus also welcomed a US-Russian initiative to find a political solution to end the civil conflict.

Bangladesh

Woman found alive in rubble

Rescuers on Friday pulled a woman from the rubble of a Bangladesh garment factory 17 days after it collapsed, astonishing workmen who had been searching for bodies of victims of a disaster that has killed more than 1,000 people.

United States

Hackers steal $45 million

A worldwide gang of criminals stole $45 million within hours by hacking their way into a database of prepaid debit cards and then draining cash machines around the globe, federal prosecutors said on Thursday. Seven people are under arrest in the US in connection with the case.

Space station radiator leaking

The International Space Station has a radiator leak in its power system. The outpost's commander calls the situation serious, but not life-threatening. The crew on Thursday noticed white flakes of ammonia, which is used to cool the station's power system, leaking out of the station.

France

More SARS fears surface

French health authorities said on Thursday they believe the country's first case of a new SARS-like virus that has killed 18 people, mostly in Saudi Arabia, may have infected two other people. A man who returned to France from Dubai was diagnosed with the deadly novel coronavirus, and is under intensive care.

Xinhua-AP-Reuters-AFP

(China Daily 05/11/2013 page8)