IN BRIEF (Page 12)

China

Foreign leaders to visit Beijing

The presidents of Pakistan and Senegal will visit China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswomen Hua Chunying announced in a regular news conference on Tuesday in Beijing. Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain will visit China from Feb 18 to 21, and Senegalese President Macky Sall is scheduled to visit from Feb 19 to 22.

Algeria

Military plane crash kills 103

A military transport plane crashed in eastern Algeria on Tuesday, killing 103 people, privately-owned Ennahar TV said, citing "informed sources". The plane crashed in a mountainous area in the Oum El Bouaghi province, the report said.

Australia

Greater risk of El Nino pattern

Australian climate models indicate an increased chance of an El Nino weather pattern emerging later this year, the country's weather bureau said on Tuesday, raising the risk of drought and floods in some parts of the world. The forecast comes after the US Climate Prediction Center said last week there was an increasing chance of El Nino.

Myanmar

Air carrier opens global routes

Myanmar's national carrier signed a deal on Tuesday to lease 10 Boeing aircraft worth nearly $1 billion that will ply international routes to tap booming tourism as the country opens up to the world. "Myanma Airways, which had suspended international operations since 1993, is now going to re-enter the international market," Myanmar Transportation Minister Nyan Htun Aung said.

AP-Reuters-AFP-Xinhua

(China Daily 02/12/2014 page12)