 The joint drills, which began in Guangdong province, are expected to last until mid-July. China's state TV said the drills are aimed at demonstrating the capabilities of the navies in addressing security threats and preserving peace and stability globally and regionally. I'm Karen Chambers. One of Germany's busiest rail lines, 44-mile stretch between Frankfurt and Mannheim, closing for five months as the country launches an effort to get its notoriously disruption-prone network into shape.