Chinese premier urges green recovery for mankind's better future

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang says the country is willing to work with all other parties to promote green recovery for a better future for all mankind.

Premier Li made the remarks yesterday via video link at the 2021 Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 Seoul Summit.

He says China will establish and improve an economic system featuring green and low-carbon development.

He called on the international community to pay great attention to the concerns and appeals of developing countries and increase technological, financial and capacity support to help them achieve a green and low-carbon transformation.

The premier also called for joint efforts from the international community to fight COVID-19, improve global health governance and ensure stable global industrial and supply chains.

Intimidation of HKSAR judges must be punished severely: central gov't spokesperson

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council has denounced the recent intimidation against a judge in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The office of the judge in charge received threatening phone calls after handing down sentences on Jimmy Lai and nine other defendants who were convicted of organizing and inciting others to participate in an illegal assembly.

The spokesperson says such acts pose a serious threat to the personal security of judges and blatantly flouted the region's judicial system, adding that the lawless acts must be punished severely.

China's manufacturing PMI edges down to 51 in May

Official figures show that the purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector came in at 51 in May.

The reading is slightly down from 51.1 in April but remains in expansion territory.

The non-manufacturing PMI, which includes services and construction activity, reached 55.2 --- up from 54.9 in April.

Chinese mainland reports 20 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases

The Chinese mainland reported 20 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in Guangdong Province on Sunday.

The same day also saw seven new imported cases on the mainland, including three in Guangdong, two in Shanghai and one each in Fujian and Henan.

South Africa tightens lockdown as COVID-19 cases spike

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South Africa has returned to stricter lockdown measures amid a looming third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gao Junya reports.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa warns that it may only be a matter of time before the country will have entered a third wave of the pandemic.

"Over the last seven days, we have seen an average of 3,745 daily new infections. This is an increase of 31 percent on the previous week and an increase of 66 percent on the week before that."

Ramaphosa says in order to delay the spread of the virus, South Africa's lockdown restrictions will move from the current Level 1 to an adjusted stricter Level 2.

The curfew hours will be extended, from 11 pm to 4 am, and all gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 100 people indoors and 250 people outdoors.

Ramaphosa says the country's biggest mass vaccination program has been going on well.

Over 400 vaccination sites have been set up.

Captain fully responsible for grounding of Ever Given in Suez Canal: authority

The Suez Canal Authority's investigation has found that the captain of the Ever Given is fully responsible for the ship's grounding.

The Head of the investigation says the captain gave repeated orders in a very short space of time, causing the accident.

Investigators say evidence shows that three other ships were able to cross the waterway without issue shortly before Ever Given.

Egyptian authorities seized the 400-meter container vessel when it ran aground on March 23 and halted the traffic for six days.

Palestine, Egypt discuss stabilizing ceasefire in Gaza

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has held talks with Egyptian Intelligence Minister Abbas Kamel over the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the reconstruction of Gaza.

Local media reported that Abbas and Kamel discussed the recent developments in the Palestinian territories and the reconciliation dialogue between Abbas' Fatah party and Hamas.

Kamel met with Palestinian and Israeli leaders separately on Sunday during his visit to the region as part of efforts to reinforce the ceasefire.

Prior to meeting with Abbas, the Egyptian minister held a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he is scheduled to hold talks with Hamas leaders today.

China routs Guam in World Cup qualifier

In football

Striker Wu Lei scored a brace to help the Chinese national team rout Guam 7-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Suzhou.

The 29-year-old, benched for most of this season at Espanyol, showed no signs of rustiness, converting a penalty for China's opener before scoring another in the second half.

Naturalized player Alan came on in the second half and scored the last two goals for China in five minutes.

China now sits in second in the group, five points behind Syria.

China next faces the Maldives in Suzhou on Thursday.