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WORLD NEWSTuesday 20 October 2015
Chinese president begins busy state visit to Britain Saudi Arabia hajj
disaster death toll
GREGORY KATZ China flags are fixed on poles beside Union flags along The Mall works close to the palace at least 2,121: AP
Associated Press towards Buckingham Palace in London. London is preparing for at the Royal Academy of
LONDON (AP) — Chinese the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, accompanied by his Arts. Britain and China are JON GAMBRELL
President Xi Jinping arrived wife Peng Liyuan starting on Monday Oct. 19, 2015. keen to strengthen busi- Associated Press
in Britain Monday for a four- ness ties despite wide dif- DUBAI, United Arab Emir-
day state visit as part of a (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) ferences over human rights ates (AP) — The crush and
push to increase trade ties policy. It follows a high pro- stampede that struck the
between the two countries. The elaborately choreo- Protests over China’s hu- file visit to China by Trea- hajj last month in Saudi
Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan graphed visit will also in- man rights record are ex- sury chief George Osborne, Arabia killed at least 2,121
will spend several nights at clude a trip to the Man- pected throughout Xi’s who seeks more Chinese in- pilgrims, a new Associated
Buckingham Palace, host- chester City football train- visit, which is scheduled to vestment. Press tally showed Mon-
ed by Queen Elizabeth II ing grounds and a possible end Friday. The two governments are day, after officials in the
and Prince Philip, after an unscripted side trip to a British opposition leader already cooperating on kingdom met to discuss the
elaborate formal welcome pub to dine on that English Jeremy Corbyn has indi- nuclear power develop- tragedy.
and a carriage ride to the classic, fish and chips. cated a desire to discuss ment, with China making a The toll keeps rising from
palace Tuesday. The Chinese president human rights with Xi when major investment in a new the Sept. 24 disaster out-
Prime Minister David Cam- plans to address both hous- they meet at a palace plant in southeast England. side Mecca as individual
eron told Chinese Central es of Parliament on Tues- banquet, but Chinese offi- Prince William, who re- countries identify bodies
Television the visit heralds a day before a state ban- cials say they would be sur- cently made an official and work to determine
“golden era” between the quet at the palace likely prised if he raises the issue. visit to China, recorded a the whereabouts of hun-
two countries. to be attended by senior Prominent Chinese dissi- speech for broadcast on dreds of pilgrims still miss-
“It’s a real opportunity to royals, politicians and some dent Ai Weiwei, a frequent Chinese TV outlining the ing. The official Saudi toll of
deepen our relationship figures from the entertain- critic of Chinese policies, is need to combat illegal 769 people killed and 934
and I’m delighted Presi- ment field. having a major exhibit of his wildlife trade. injured has not changed
dent Xi is spending so much He referred to his daughter since Sept. 26, and officials
time here,” Cameron said, Princess Charlotte when he have yet to address the
adding that Chinese invest- warned that children born discrepancy.
ment in major British infra- this year, like her, “will see Crown Prince Mohammed
structure projects is gener- the last wild elephants and bin Naif bin Abdul Aziz,
ating jobs in Britain. rhinos die before their 25th who is also the kingdom’s
Cameron will spend time birthdays” unless urgent interior minister, oversaw
with Xi both at 10 Down- steps are taken. a meeting late Sunday
ing Street and at the prime “We have a responsibility to about the disaster in Mina,
minister’s country retreat, act on the facts we have according to the official
Chequers. today,” William said.q Saudi Press Agency. The
agency’s report did not
Police: mention any official re-
sponse to the rising death
Masked Australian man caught after robbing Thai bank toll.
“The crown prince was re-
BANGKOK (AP) — A in 12 seconds on Monday, barely run a few hundred port. The Australian Em- assured on the progress of
masked Australian man using a fake gun before be- meters (yards) when he bassy was informed and the investigations,” the SPA
robbed a bank in Bangkok ing caught nearby, police was caught with the stolen was checking on the man’s report said.
said. The 23-year-old man money by police patrolling background, Sanit said. King Salman ordered the
walked into the bank yell- the street, Sanit said. He said the man has been investigation into the disas-
ing “Money!” and pointed He said the man told the charged with robbery, ter, the deadliest in the his-
the fake gun at the tellers, police he had come to which carries a punishment tory of the annual pilgrim-
who handed over 170,000 Thailand a month ago and of up to 10 years in jail. No age. It came after a crane
baht ($4,800) in cash, ran out of money, so he de- date has been set for his collapse in Mecca earlier
said Metropolitan police cided to rob a bank to buy court arraignment, which that month killed 111 wor-
chief Lt. Gen. Sanit Maha- a plane ticket back home. Sanit said could happen shippers, and the twin di-
thavorn. The man was identified as in late November or early sasters marred the first hajj
The man then fled, but had an Australian by his pass- December.q to be overseen by the king
since he ascended to the
throne at the start of this
year.q
