30 pct of migrants employed without contracts:report

China's main population authority has issued new analysis, saying over 30 percent of this country's migrant workers are employed without a proper contract.
The National Population and Family Planning Commission's report also says just over 50 percent of migrant workers have fixed-term contracts.
The report says most migrants work an average of 54.6 hours per week, far above the 40-hour legal limit.
At the same time, the report says China's floating population reached 230 million last year.
The floating population refers to people who have left their registered hometowns without obtaining a new household registration, or "hukou."
37 Chinese fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan navy freed

37 Chinese fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan navy over the weekend have been freed.
The Chinese embassy in Columbo has confirmed the fishermen are in good condition, and are being allowed to leave their boats.
The 2 Sri Lankans detained along with the Chinese fishermen are still under investigation.
Sri Lanka's navy seized the 2 Sri Lankan-registered boats for illegal fishing off the country's eastern coast on Sunday.
The 37 Chinese fishermen are employees of the Sri Lankans under investigation.
Haikui to reach Zhejiang, emergency preparation in coastal provinces

Tropical storm Haikui is expected to reach the coast of Zhejiang later tonight or early tomorrow morning.
Haikui is set to bring strong winds and heavy rains up to 150 millimeters to parts of Zhejiang and Shanghai.
Close to 130-thousand people in Zhejiang have already been evacuated.
Ships have also been called backed to port.
In neighboring Shanghai, around 200-thousand people have been relocated.
Emergency response plans for China's coastal provinces have already been initiated in advance of Haikui's arrival.
Chinese diplomat inaugurated as UN under-secretary-general

A senior Chinese diplomat has been officially sworn in as the UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs.
The inauguration ceremony for Wu Hongbo has taken place Monday at UN headquarters in New York.
60-year-old Wu Hongbo has been serving as Chinese ambassador to Germany since 2009.
He was appointed to his new UN post in May.
Wu Hongbo takes over for Sha Zukang, another Chinese diplomat, who had been holding the position since 2007.
China's 2012 Steel Output May Fall; 1st Time in 31 Years

The China Iron and Steel Association is reporting crude steel output here in China may fall for the first time in 31 years this year.
Second-half steel output is forecast to fall as much as 10-percent compared with the first half.
In the first six months this year, around 357 million tons of crude steel was produced here in China.
That's up just 1.8 percent year on year.
Vanke profit increases 25% in first half

China Vanke, this country's biggest listed property developer, is reporting its first-half profits have climbed 25 percent.
Vanke's net income through the first half has increased to 3.7 billion yuan.
Revenues have increased 54 percent to nearly 31 billion yuan.
The average home prices of Vanke have fallen some 11 percent to about 10-thousand-400 yuan per square meter in the first half.
The company's contracted sales values, which are based on bookings made before construction, have fallen 1.6 percent to 73 billion yuan through the first half.
China's biggest gold producer sales surge in H1

China National Gold Group Corporation, the country's largest gold producer, is reporting its first-half sales have surged 61 percent to nearly 50 billion yuan.
The Beijing-based company says its first-half profits have met 53 percent of its whole-year target.
The gold producer has added 87 tonnes of gold and 200-thousand tonnes of copper to its reserves in the first half.
The company's sales are projected to exceed 100 billion yuan this year.
Jordan denies sacked Syrian PM entered the country

The Jordanian government is denying reports Syria's prime minister has entered the country.
Jordan's communications minister says Riyadh Hijab has yet to enter Jordanian territory.
Earlier reports had been suggesting Hijab defected to Jordan with the help of the rebel Free Syrian Army.
Syrian state TV reports say Hijab was fired.
Syrian media is reporting vice Prime Minister Omar Ghalawanji has since been appointed to lead the cabinet.
Riyadh Hijab was appointed to the Prime Ministerial post two months ago.
UN chief welcomes oil deal between Sudan and South Sudan

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is applauding the deal reached by the governments of Sudan and South Sudan on oil and financial arrangements.
Ban is describing the accord as"an important milestone for building good neighborly relations."
The deal includes a financial arrangement to export oil from South Sudan through Sudanese territory to the Port of Sudan.
Ban is also calling on the leadership of both countries to work hard to try to resolve the rest of their outstanding issues.