Guangzhou

Beijing's commerce minister dismissed as "groundless" U.S. concerns that a surge of low-cost Chinese exports posed a risk to global markets, as Washington's Treasury chief on Monday wrapped up a visit aimed in part at addressing the issue.

The United States and China have agreed to hold "intensive exchanges on balanced growth", the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement, after two days of talks between Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and her Chinese counterpart He Lifeng in Guangzhou.

U.S. Treasury Chief Janet Yellen called on Friday for a "level playing field" between American and Chinese companies, telling officials during a visit to southern China that Beijing's industrial subsidies threatened that balance.

Five people were killed when an empty cargo ship struck a bridge in southern China on Thursday, causing part of it to collapse, authorities and state media reported.

The container vessel was travelling between the cities of Foshan and Guangzhou when it rammed into Lixinsha Bridge at around 5:31 am (2131 GMT), state broadcaster CCTV said.

In a tragic incident today, a barge collided with a bridge in China's Pearl River Delta, resulting in the collapse of a section of the bridge and causing casualties. According to Reuters, the collision occurred earlier today, causing cars situated on the affected part of the bridge to plunge into the water below.

Prague has cancelled an October concert by Russian soprano Anna Netrebko over her country's invasion of Ukraine, organizers said on Aug. 17.

Netrebko, whose past support for Russian President Vladimir Putin has led to cancellations of several concerts worldwide, was due to perform at Prague's Municipal House on Oct. 16.

İstiklal Avenue, Istanbul's famous pedestrian street, is bustling with shoppers these days, with dozens of fashion and cosmetics stores and eateries remaining open until 3 a.m. in the morning.

The chief doctor at one of Shanghai's top hospitals said 70 percent of the metropolis's population was infected with COVID-19 during China's massive surge in cases, Chinese media reported.

The sharp rise in the number of infections came after strict restrictions were suddenly eased last month without warning or preparation and quickly overwhelmed hospitals and crematoriums.

Anti-virus controls that have shut down some of China's biggest cities and fueled public irritation are spreading as infections rise, hurting a weak economy and prompting warnings of possible global shockwaves.

China is fighting a new wave of COVID-19 in the east of the country, and the largest number of cases of newly infected with is in Shanghai, where 26.087 cases of infection have been reported today, of which only 914 showed symptoms.