Briefly

CHINA

NPC vice-chair to attend Paris forum

Chen Zhu, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, will represent China at the Paris Peace Forum and attend related activities on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian announced on Wednesday. China values and supports efforts by all parties to promote world peace and maintain multilateralism, and hopes to encourage the world to practice true multilateralism, improve global governance, and promote shared development of the world through the forum, Zhao told a daily news conference.

JAPAN

Cabinet approves extra $199b budget

Japan's cabinet approved on Tuesday an extra budget spending of 29.1 trillion yen ($199 billion) for the current fiscal year on a comprehensive economic package to combat soaring prices. The extra budget spending, much of which will be funded by additional new debt, features measures to help households and businesses reduce utility bills. The government plans to submit the draft extra budget to parliament before the current session ends in early December.

EUROPE

Deadly heat could claim 90,000 a year

Heat waves could lead to the deaths of 90,000 Europeans each year by the end of the century if nothing is done, AFP quoted the European Environment Agency as saying on Tuesday. Some 129,000 Europeans died from excessive heat between 1980 and 2020, the agency said. The World Health Organization said at least 15,000 people had died this year in Europe because of hot weather.

China Daily - Agencies