Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Jan. 23
Xinhua, January 23, 2015 Adjust font size:
Saudi King Abdullah has died and his brother Salman has become the new ruler, according to state TV reports and a royal statement released early Friday. (Saudi Arabia-King)
- - - -
HAVANA -- The United States and Cuba on Thursday concluded their historic talks on restoring diplomatic relations, but both sides admitted "profound differences" still remain and much needs to be done before normalization of bilateral relations.
It was the second day of the first high-level meeting held between Cuba and the United States since the surprising announcement on Dec. 17 by President Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raul Castro about restoring their bilateral ties broken off in January 1961. (Cuba-US-Ties)
- - - -
NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks extended rally Thursday, with the three major indices logging their fourth straight daily gains, boosted by the bigger-than-expected eurozone quantitative easing (QE) program launched by the European Central Bank (ECB).
The three benchmark indices all rose nearly 1.5 percent, bringing both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite Index back to slightly positive territory for the year, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average also briefly turned positive for 2015 in the late afternoon trading. (US-Stocks)
- - - -
WASHINGTON -- The United States is sending its special envoy to Japan and China next week for meetings on policy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the State Department said Thursday.
During his trip to the two Asian countries on Jan. 26-30, Sung Kim will have a trilateral meeting in Tokyo with his Japanese counterpart Junichi Ihara and the Republic of Korea counterpart Hwang Joon-kook on top of bilateral meetings with them, the agency said in a statement. (US-DPRK) Endite