Looking ahead

Events and stories coming up in the next few days

Gansu to host first Silk Road expo

The first Silk Road International Cultural Expo will be held in Dunhuang, Gansu province, on Sept 20, with France as the guest of honor. The expo will promote exchanges among nations along the route of the ancient Silk Road. Nearly 60 countries and five international organizations have confirmed their participation.

Obama heads to 'Three Amigos' summit

US President Barack Obama will meet with leaders of Canada and Mexico in Ottawa on Wednesday for his final "Three Amigos" summit, a meeting that may signal how keen the North American partners are to tout trade at a time of rising protectionist sentiment. The summit comes on the heels of Britain voting to leave the European Union after more than 40 years. It also falls ahead of a US presidential election on Nov 8 where presumptive Republican candidate Donald Trump has made stagnant wages and job losses focal points of his campaign.

UN chief urges Yemenis to reach peace deal

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Yemen's warring factions to keep working toward a comprehensive agreement, warning that "time is not on the side of the Yemeni people." He made the remarks on Sunday to delegates taking part in peace talks that began in Kuwait two months ago. Ban urged the warring sides to release all prisoners as a goodwill gesture ahead of next week's Eid al-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Palace Museum to open more areas

The Forbidden City in Beijing, or the Palace Museum, will open three more areas to visitors this year, said Shan Jixiang, head of the museum. They include the passageways from the Duanhong Bridge to the Longzong Gate and from the Archery Pavilion to the Hall of Literary Glory and the Western Canal Street. With these, the total area open to the public will increase from 65 percent to 76 percent.

(China Daily 06/28/2016 page2)