AFP, Beijing
China has completed production of the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, state media has said, the latest effort in the country’s programme to wean itself off dependence on foreign aviation firms.
The state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) unveiled the first of the new planes, dubbed the AG600, Saturday in the southern port city of Zhuhai, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
The aircraft, which has a maximum range of 4,500 kilometres, is intended for fighting forest fires and performing marine rescues, it said.
Germany mull tighter gun control
BBC Online
Senior German politicians have called for stricter controls on the sale of guns in response to the shooting attack in Munich on Friday.
Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said everything possible should be done to limit access to deadly weapons.
Ali David Sonboly, 18, shot dead nine people before killing himself. He had a Glock pistol and more than 300 bullets.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, who visited the scene of the shootings, said he planned to review gun laws.
California wildfire forces evacuations
Reuters, California
A new wildfire burning through bone-dry grass, shrub and timber has forced the evacuation of dozens of homes in a mountain community in central California and more houses could be in the inferno’s path, fire officials said on Saturday.
The so-called Deer fire sparked on Friday afternoon and has grown to char about 1,800 acres of Bear Mountain, Kern County Fire Department spokesman Phil Neufeld said.
