A new shuttle bus route between southwest China's Yunnan Province and neighboring Laos was launched on Saturday, marking a significant breakthrough in cross-border transportation for both sides following the opening of the first direct bus service in November 2025.
Connecting Yunnan's Jinghong City in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture and Laos' Ban Xang Khong village in Luang Prabang Province, the new route is about 280 kilometers and takes seven to eight hours for a one-way trip.
A direct trip between the two sides is scheduled every day, providing point-to-point services.
New China-Laos passenger transport route launched
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel will "soon" take control of 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, despite the terms of an ongoing fragile ceasefire.
"We currently hold more than 60 percent of the enclave; soon we will reach 70 percent," Netanyahu said during his weekly cabinet meeting. He said Israel was still fighting Hamas and "eliminating" the group's senior commanders.
In Lebanon, Netanyahu said Israel was "eliminating villages of terror" near the Israeli border. He said Israeli forces had killed about 350 people in Lebanon over the past week, claiming they were all militants.
A ceasefire agreement that took effect in October 2025 allows Israel to keep forces behind the so-called "yellow line" demarcation, which includes about half of the war-devastated enclave.
Israel has continued to carry out daily attacks across Gaza. Earlier on Saturday, Gaza-based health authorities said that 951 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect.
Netanyahu says Israel to "soon" control 70 pct of Gaza
