China: 20 killed in fire on foreign-flagged cargo ship;  President Xi Jinping orders investigation

In China, twenty people were killed today when a fire broke out on a foreign-flagged cargo ship undergoing repairs in the eastern port city of Qingdao. The state broadcaster CCTV reported that the blaze started at around 11.15 am at the state-owned Qingdao Beihai shipyard. President Xi Jinping has given orders to step up search and rescue efforts. He also called for a swift investigation into the cause of the fire. A photo released by state news agency Xinhua suggests the ship is the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Melody. Qingdao Beihai is a major shipyard managed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation.