Obama's European tour a show of "solidarity"

U.S. President Barack Obama returned here Saturday after a six-day European tour, during which he put on a show of "solidarity" while trans-Atlantic divergence may still run deep.

Trying to forge a unified position on the unrestive Middle East and North Africa was high on Obama' agenda while he was in Europe, especially because the trip started only three days after his major policy speech on those issues.

The United States has vital interests in that region while Europeans are sensitive to the developments there given the geographic proximity.

After a two-day summit in the northern French resort of Deauville, Obama and other leaders of the G8 industrialized nations pledged 20 billion U.S. dollars in aid to Egypt and Tunisia through 2013 for their "suitable reform efforts."

Of the total, 10 billion dollars would come from oil-rich Gulf states, while the United States, Britain and France have pledged their respective shares in the rest.

But with Europe's ongoing sovereign debt crisis and the ballooning U.S. deficits, it remains unclear how the West could actually honor those commitments.

Nevertheless, by putting on a show of "solidarity," Obama hoped it could ease Europeans'concerns over a supposed U.S. tendency to tilt foreign policy focus from old allies toward Asia and Latin America.

But a more urgent need may come from Washington's eagerness to shift some of its foreign policy burdens to the Europeans.

So, when addressing both houses of British Parliament, Obama asserted that even as more nations take on the responsibilities of global leadership, it was up to the United States, Britain and their European allies to lead at a time when the world was being tested by economic turmoil, unrest in the Arab world, terrorism, climate change and nonproliferation.

"We remain the greatest catalysts for global action," he said. "The time for our leadership is now."

And in a Times article co-penned with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama laid emphasis on the unique status of bilateral relations, as Britain has followed the U.S. lead in the past decade in wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

"Not just special, but an essential relationship," they wrote. "It's not only history that binds us. Whether fighting wars or rebuilding the economy, our needs and beliefs are the same."

The Financial Times said in an editorial that despite "loose talk of the diminishing specialness of the Anglo-American relationship," the two countries'interests "are aligned on the most pressing questions" like Afghanistan, Libya and Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Obama began his European tour in debt-laden Ireland, where he delivered his campaign slogan "Yes we can" in Gaelic to the roaring approval of 30,000 audience in the center of Dublin.

"The president and his message of hope are the tonic that Ireland, and much of Europe, badly needs," the Economist magazine wrote. "Mr. Obama realizes, like others before him, that the old allies are still the more reliable friends."

And in Poland, Obama tried to show that Washington still cares about the interests of its Eastern and Central European allies with renewed promise to deepen security ties.

The White House said Obama has endorsed legislation cosponsored by several U.S. lawmakers that would reform how countries qualify for the U.S. visa waiver program to ensure that "strong allies like Poland get proper consideration."

Eastern and Central Europeans have complained since the start of the "reset policy" with Moscow that Obama has ignored their interests in favor of accommodating Russia.

By addressing two areas of vital concern to the Poles -- the U.S. visa waiver program and defense cooperation, Obama signaled "a renewed commitment" to working with Poland as a strategic ally in Europe, and in turn sent a signal to the region as a whole, said experts at U.S. think tank Atlantic Council.

At a dinner co-hosted with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski Friday evening for some 20 leaders from Western, Central and Eastern Europe, Obama reaffirmed commitments to the security of those nations.

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More than 100 taking part in marathon on Qomolangma

More than 100 runners from around the world took part in a marathon held Sunday morning on the south slope of Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak, event manager Ram Thapa confirmed to Xinhua over telephone.

The 42,195-meter race started from near the famous Khumbu Ice Fall at Qomolangma Base Camp (5,364 meters above sea level) and the finish is set at Namche Bazar (3,440 meters above sea level).

The adventure was organized by Himalayan Expedition of Nepal to commemorate the historical ascent by late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953. May 29 is observed as "International Qomolangma Day".

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Three killed, eight injured in chemical plant blast in east China

Three people were killed and eight were injured in a chemical plant blast Saturday evening in east China's Zibo City, Shandong Province, the city government said on Sunday.

The blast occurred at 9:31 p.m. Saturday in a chemical plant of Shandong Baoyuan Chemical Co.,Ltd.. Two were dead at the scene and one died later in hospital.

The cause of the blast is under investigation.

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Army of toy peacekeepers embarks on global mission

 With 50,000 plastic toy blue helmets now appearing in dozens of countries, running into a UN peacekeeper is no longer limited to the world's troubled "hotspots."

MINUSCULE BLUE HELMETS

Wandering through New York, Paris or Sydney, it is hard to imagine some 120,000 blue helmets are ubiquitous in conflict zones all around the world. Dutch Graphic Designer Pierre Derks attempted to break this invisibility with his project "Minuscule Blue Helmets on a Massive Quest."

Together with an inexhaustible squad of volunteers Derks perseveringly one-by-one hand-painted blue helmets on 50,000 plain green toy soldiers and handed them out to people at an art show in The Hague, the Netherlands, which is dubbed the world's second UN city. All minuscule peacekeepers came with an instruction package to photograph them in any public area, and then upload them to a website where the exact location automatically gets pinpointed.

Since then the mini-blue helmets have been on a mission: to show up in as many places as possible around the world.

So far, the project has produced more than 1,000 photographs, and not only from the Netherlands. Toy soldiers were spotted on top of the Mount Everest, in Kyoto, Japan, on the Great Wall of China and in New York's Central Park. Recently shots of the toy crusaders were even snapped at the UN Headquarters when Derks traveled to New York.

"It has dominated people's holiday trips," Derks told Xinhua in a recent interview. "For some it even became an actual goal in life."

REAL PEACEKEEPERS

With some 120,000 UN personnel currently deployed as peacekeepers in the world at any given time, the forces are the largest and most visible segment of the world's body global presence. Over the course of the last decade their significance increased dramatically and they're expected to take on an even larger role in the next, says the UN Deparment of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).

Since the first UN peacekeeping mission was established in 1948 in the Middle East, 63 peacekeeping operations have been implemented, with 16 of those continuing to be actively pursued today, according to UN sources.

Peacekeeping includes everything from patrolling areas of recent violence, clearing land mines, and delivering aid to helping refugees and supporting elections, says the UN.

WHEN TOYS MEET PEACEKEEPERS

No toy peacekeeper made it too an actual UN mission so far but Dutch peacekeeping veterans, members of a motorcycle group called the "Blue Helmets Motor Group," who served the UN in Lebanon in the seventies and eighties, adopted the project.

There was an immediate spark between their world and Derks art, which for them instantly served as a "healthy, creative form of self-medication," Jos Morren, a veteran peacekeeper now working as an advocate for the motorcycle club, told Xinhua.

Although the mission in Lebanon seemed to be rather peaceful for most people in the Netherlands, the risk for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) turned out to be substantial, Morren narrated. "We were at the mercy of various aggressive militias, ... the blue helmet concept virtually did not offer any means of defense."

With the assignment in Lebanon being the Dutch army's first operational mission abroad in years, not everything went as smooth as it should, including the aftercare. "During those days pretty much all you had was a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label," Morren recalled.

Veterans from that period reportedly still have psychological problems.

One of the veterans group members bought 2,000 little green men and painted the helmets blue himself, constantly carrying them with him and leaving them in tactical spots. Another motorcyclist ended up permanently carrying around one minuscule blue soldier and puts his "little buddy" on the table every time he loses touch with the world because of a psychological blockade.

Morren is convinced the "advancing army" has the potential to "conquer the world," but he just cannot yet really figure out why.

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Doubts raised about Colombia's new reparations law

 The newly approved law on reparations for victims of decades of violence in Colombia raises a host of questions, particularly about how beneficiaries will be defined and how the government will finance the scheme.

Colombia's Senate on Tuesday ratified the Victim and Restitution of Lands Law, which would compensate for and return usurped property to those subject to armed violence since 1985.

The government estimates that 4 million hectares of land were abandoned and 2 million seized during the armed conflicts.

Under the law, financial compensation will be awarded to victims of the conflicts, and the land returned to former owners. The government says at least 4 million people will benefit.

The costs of implementing the law will be the main challenge for the government. Officials estimate put the costs at 2.2 trillion pesos (1.2 billion U.S. dollars) for this year alone.

"This year the 2.2 trillion pesos will be taken mainly from taxes... Next year, we'll see if cutting other spending or looking at other sources is needed." Finance Minister Juan Carlos Echeverry said.

The new law stipulates that any compensation is subject to availability of resources, which observers say would leave reparations for victims in suspense.

As the government lacks adequate funding to compensate for the costs of reparations, millions of Colombians may be actually denied access to the scheme and would remain in dire need of capital to undertake activities enabling them to regain economic stability, observers say.

Cepeda Castro, a congressman from the opposition Polo Democratico Alternativo party, told Xinhua that the government, instead of calculating on taxpayers' money, should to pursue and confiscate the assets illegally and violently seized by some people.

Millions of Colombians have fallen victim to decades of armed violence, while many others are living a comfortable life with their ill-gotten fortunes.

Castro said a case in point is demobilized paramilitary squads, accused of making large fortunes through the drug trade and plundering of productive land. They didn't deliver the fortunes to the state after laying down their weapons, he said.

Another controversial issue concerning the law is who exactly are entitled to reparations and restitution.

Marco Romero, president of the nongovernmental Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement, described the range of potential beneficiaries as "limited," as compensation will only go to those who have suffered assaults between 1985 and the day the law goes into effect.

Many violence victims would not benefit from the law, as conflict in the country started as early as 1964, when the anti-government Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was established, Romero said.

Moreover, he said, according to the law, only property illegally grabbed after 1991 should be returned to their legal owners.

That would in fact legalize illegal seizure of land and other kinds of property made prior to 1991, he added.

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Cambodia confident temple management plan to be accepted by UNESCO

Cambodia is firmly confident that the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee (WHC) will officially accept the management plan of Preah Vihear temple proposed in the 35th WHC meeting in Paris on June 19 to 29, said a top government official on Sunday.

"In the next month's meeting, the World Heritage Committee will make the official decision on the management plan of Preah Vihear temple, which Cambodia submitted in the last year's annual WHC meeting," the cabinet minister Sok An, Chairman of the Cambodian National Commission for UNESCO, said Sunday at Phnom Penh International Airport upon his arrival from Paris, where he held talks with Thai Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti on Preah Vihear temple issues under the mediation by the UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.

"Cambodia has enough legal documents, which are internationally recognized, to support that the temple's management plan is done in Cambodian territory," he said, adding that the plan has also been admired by UNESCO for its good and standardized preparation in the last year's committee meeting.

However, the Bangkok Post online newspaper reported on Sunday that Suwit Khunkitti said the UNESCO has not made decision yet on whether the WHC will debate Cambodia's management plan.

Suwit Khunkitti said that Thailand and Cambodia would hold more talks over Cambodia's management plan for the disputed 4.6-square- kilometre area around Preah Vihear temple ahead of the 35th WHC meeting next month.

In response, Sok An said that Cambodia welcomed more meetings with Thailand under the UNESCO arrangements prior to the next month's WHC meeting in June.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962 and the temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

Since then, both sides have built up military forces along the border and periodic clashes have happened, resulting in the deaths of troops and civilians on both sides.

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Myanmar official media hail president China visit

Myanmar president U Thein Sein's three-day state visit to China has opened a new chapter in the history of Myanmar-China relations, Myanmar official media said Sunday.

Describing the visit as the highest level relationship in the areas of relations between the two countries, the New Light of Myanmar stressed in its editorial that the visit has promoted comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The editorial quoted Myanmar President U Thein Sein as saying that " A historical Paukphaw relationship developed and it has reached a strategic level. So, efforts will be made for further strengthening the relations between the two countries".

The editorial also quoted Chinese President Hu Jintao as agreeing so, underlining that "Successful discussions of the two state leaders during the state visit to PRC are based on improved existing mutual understanding , good neighborliness and bilateral cooperation after the nation's transformation into the Republic of the Union of Myanmar".

As his first visit to China since assuming presidency on March 30, U Thein Sein paid the state visit to Beijing from Thursday to Saturday at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, during which the two state leaders had talks on matters of mutual interest and a series of economic agreements were signed.

At the end of the visit on Saturday, a joint statement of the two countries on establishing a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership was issued.

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Make-up show kicks off in central China

 A model with fashionable make-up is seen during a show in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, May 28, 2011. Some 20 models displayed various make-up styles at the show on Saturday

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Nadal sails into French Open last 16

Top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal eased past Croatian qualifier Antonio Veicon 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 to reach the last 16 at the French Open on Saturday.

It was the Spaniard's 41st win at Roland Garros against just the one defeat since he made his debut in 2005.

The world No. 1 will next face either compatriot Fernando Verdasco or Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.

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25 prominent paintings of Zhang Daqian ready to auction in HK

 Strange Pines of Mount Huang by Chinese painter Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) is seen on display during a media preview in south China's Hong Kong on May 28, 2011. A total of 25 prominent paintings from the Mei Yun Tang Collection of Paintings by Zhang Daqian will be brought under the hammer on May 31, Sotheby's Hong Kong announced on Saturday. 

 Children Playing under a Pomegranate Tree by Chinese painter Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) is seen on display during a media preview in south China's Hong Kong on May 28, 2011. 

Reading Under Autumn Trees (R) by Chinese painter Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) is on display during a media preview in south China's Hong Kong on May 28, 2011.

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China's first collection of Buddhist medicine unveiled at Shaolin Temple

A newly-published 100-volume collection of works on Buddhist medicine was unveiled Saturday at the Shaolin Temple, the shrine of Kong Fu in central China's Henan Province.

China Buddhist Medicine Collection, compiled in 101 volumes and 70 million characters, includes more than 3,000 documents on the theories and practices of Buddhist medicine.

The earliest of the works dates to the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), while the latest was written during the Republic of China (1912 - 1949).

"We use medicines to cure people's physical illnesses and Buddhism to solve their mental problems; the combination of the two is aimed to restore the balance and harmony of man's body and spirit," said Shi Yongxin, abbot of Shaolin and one of the principal compilers.

To complete the collection, the Shaolin Temple also offered its manuscripts on medicines, some of which had not been revealed to the public before, said Shi.

The Shaolin Temple, usually deemed the birthplace of Kong Fu, is also renowned for its achievements in orthopedics and traumatology.

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About 100 Chinese universities join water-saving campaign

Around 100 universities in 20 Chinese provinces have joined an annual water-saving campaign called "saving a barrel of water," which kicked off at Tsinghua University in Beijing Saturday.

College students will conduct surveys on water use in urban residential communities and design tailored plans for them to save water. The most effective plan will win monetary prizes provided by the campaign's sponsors.

"The students will also go into primary schools of migrant workers' children, giving lectures on saving water," said Zhao Yixin, head of the Beijing Environment Protection Foundation, one of the campaign organizers.

He said the campaign would instill a sense of water conservation with parents and the local communities of the participating college students.

This is particularly important for China this year as the worst drought in 50 years is plaguing the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, said Zhao.

The severe drought started in April and, as of Friday, has affected 34.83 million people and about 4.23 million of them are experiencing difficulty in finding drinking water in provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Hunan, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

"The nationwide drought reminds us that efficient use of water resources requires concern and actions of the entire society," Zhao said.

The campaign was initiated in 2005. By the end of 2010, more than 1.2 million people had participated in the campaign, which saved 41 tonnes of water alone in 2010.

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Governor of Takhar province injured in explosion

Governor of northern Afghan province of Takhar was injured in a suicide bomb attack on his house in the provincial capital Taluqan city on Saturday, an official said.

It was a suicide attack inside the governor's house as a result provincial governor Abdul Jabbar Taqwa was injured, spokesman for the governor Faizullah Tawhidi told Xinhua.

An official who declined to give his name said that provincial police chief Mohammad Daud was killed in the incident.

However, Tawhidi rejected the claim, saying Daud might have been injured.

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Australia gambling reform receive support from major football codes: Sports Ministers

Australia's plan to crackdown on betting advertisements during sports events has been backed by two major football codes, Sports Minister Mark Arbib said on Saturday.

Under Labor federal government's gambling reform, the government on Friday announced to give television networks until June next year to rein in promotion of betting advertisement during sports broadcasts, or laws will be introduced to ban it.

Arbib said he had a very positive meeting with National Rugby League (NRL) boss David Gallop and his Australian Football League (AFL) counterpart Andrew Demetriou.

"I have to say we've had very good support from the sports so far," he told the Fairfax Radio Network on Saturday.

"They are very supportive of the move."

Arbib said gambling was always going to be part of sport but it was important to get the balance right.

"What we're seeing on television and on the scoreboards at the moment I think is over the top," he said.

"We've got to find a way to reduce it."

The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, earlier said the clampdown would reduce promotion of sporting gambling, and "targeting the vulnerable and the young as they are attending sporting events, as they are watching on television" .

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Deportivo appoint Oltra to lead them back to Primera Liga

Deportivo la Coruna have confirmed the appointment of Jose Luis Oltra as first team coach for next season.

Oltra has the job of taking Deportivo back to the BBVA Primera Liga after they were relegated on a dramatic last day of the season a week ago.

It is a swift return to management for the 42-year-old who had a spell with Almeria last season after replacing Juanma Lillo in November 2010. However, he was sacked by the club this April after being unable to provoke a reaction from a limited squad.

Oltra is best known for leading Tenerife to promotion to the Primera Liga in the 2009-10 season, but he was unable to maintain the club in the top flight the following year and his contract was not extended.

He will have a difficult job at his new club, given that the majority of Deprotivo's highest paid players will leave and he could be forced to rely on players who emerge from the club's youth system.

Elsewhere Betis have confirmed that Pepe Mel has agreed a new deal to remain as first team coach for the next three seasons. Mel has led Betis to promotion back to the BBVA Primera Liga from the Spanish second division this season after the Seville based club had suffered two years out of Spain's top flight.

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No more free plastic bags in China's bookstores, drugstores: official

 China will expand its ban that prohibits shops from giving out free plastic bags and will increase efforts against their use in order to reduce environmental pollution, a senior government official said Saturday.

Now bookstores and drugstores will also be prohibited from handing out free plastic bags, and all shops and supermarkets will be supervised to adhere to the policy, said Zhao Jiarong, deputy secretary-general of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said at an event marking the third anniversary of the ban.

But she did not say when the ban targeting bookstores and drugstores would become effective.

China started banning shops from giving out free plastic bags and prohibiting production and usage of plastic bags thinner than 0.025 millimeters since June 1, 2008.

The prohibition has reduced the annual consumption of more than 24 billion plastic bags or 600,000 tonnes of plastics during the past three years, equaling a savings of 3.6 million tonnes of petroleum, according to the NDRC.

Zhao said the government will launch an inspection in major regions where producers of ultra-thin plastic bags converge and eliminate the sources of such bags. Greater efforts will be made to check retailers and crack down on violations, she said.

The government will also launch a campaign in communities, schools and markets to increase people's knowledge about the policy and their awareness of the danger in using ultra-thin plastic bags, she added.

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China's Li Na reaches French Open last 16

China's Li Na breezed past Romania's Sorana Cirstea.6-2, 6-2 to sail into the fourth round of the French Open for the second time on Saturday.

The 6th-seeded Li, who became the first Chinese player to make a Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, will next take on Czech ninth seed Petra Kvitova, 6-4, 6-2 winner over Vania King of the United States.

Li has never reached the last eight in the French Open.

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Love wind, fear wind: growing pains of China's wind power industry

In a vast prairie to the north of Hohhot, the capital city of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, hundreds of wind turbines stand like a vast, unbroken forest.

The turbines have created both opportunities and problems for the region's power companies.

"I long for wind, but I also fear wind," says Su Changyou, a manager of a wind farm located in Inner Mongolia's Siziwang Banner (County).

"During high winds, my wind turbines will rotate in full gear, which means higher profits. But sometimes, my telephone rings with calls from power grid controllers ordering us to limit our power generation," says Su.

Ever since Su's wind farm was connected to China's power grid last May, only about 60 percent of the farm's turbines have been in operation. The rest of the turbines must remain idle to avoid overloading the grid.

Qi Laisheng, general manager of the Inner Mongolia subsidiary of Longyuan Power, China's largest wind farm operator, says "these things happen all the time here. About a quarter of the turbines on my wind farm have to remain idle, even on the windiest days."

Grid access has become a nightmare for Inner Mongolia's burgeoning wind power industry. Wind farms in the region have a total installed power capacity of 6.5 gigawatts (GW), the most of any region in China.

China surpassed the United States to become the world's largest producer of wind power at the end of 2010. However, China's wind power industry has been troubled with growing pains.

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China's Changchun city holds 2nd foreigners' games

The second sports games for foreigners living in this capital city of Jilin province kicked off here on Saturday with over 400 athletes from 69 countries and regions participating.

The two-day competition features 18 disciplines from six sports including soccer, basketball, badminton, table tennis and shooting.

Most of the participants are foreign professionals, technical and management personnel, students and teachers living in Changchun.

Sola Kembo Christian of Congo said, "It is the first time for me to attend this games. I feel good and never want to lose any matches."

Thomas Ilisz of Germany, who plays badminton, said, "It is a very good competition, which can provide a chance for us to gather here to enjoy sports. I hope same competition will be held in next year."

More than 8,000 foreigners are living in Changchun.

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Three Gorges Dam water discharge helps irrigate farmlands amid severe drought

China's drought-plagued central and eastern provinces are hurriedly using increased water discharges from the Three Gorges Dam to irrigate dry farmlands as the severe drought continues, the country's top drought-relief authority said Saturday.

A statement from the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said the five provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Jiangsu, which are suffering from their worst drought in 60 years, have irrigated 8.63 million mu (about 575,333 hectares) of farmlands, as of Saturday, by using the discharge water.

In efforts to alleviate the prolonged drought, China plans to discharge more water from the dam on the Yangtze River. From May 25 to June 10, water flow from the previous 10,000 cubic meters per second will be raised to as much as 12,000 cubic meters per second.

The Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydro power complex, has unleashed more than 2.76 billion cubic meters of water since May and helped raise downstream water levels to 2.72 meters.

According to data from the government agency, the five provinces have mobilized nearly 6.5 million persons in fighting the drought since the disaster began. They have dug more than 9,600 wells and launched more than 300,000 submersible water pumps in order to obtain water for irrigation.

Despite the efforts, the China Meteorological Administration forecast Saturday that the severe drought will continue as no rains are predicted in these regions until the end of May.

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Staggering death toll makes China's tobacco control more urgent than ever

Wang Jun, a resident in Tai'an, east China's Shandong Province, has been smoking for more than 20 years. In April 2010, his wife was diagnosed with lung cancer, and the news hit the chain-smoking Wang like a thunderbolt.

He realized his smoking habit was at least partially responsible.

"I know my wife's cancer is closely related to my second-hand smoke," Wang said.

China produced nearly 2.4 trillion cigarettes in 2010, which contributed more than 7 percent of the nation's annual total tax income, yet more than one million died of tobacco-related diseases, accounting for 13 percent of the total 9.43 million of deaths in 2010.

China has more than 300 million smokers, and those smokers are not only damaging their own health. Second-hand smoke attacks about 740 million people, including 180 million children and teenagers, according to the 2011 China Tobacco Control Report released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) Thursday in Beijing.

More than one million people die every year from smoking-related diseases, and more than 100,000 of those cases can be traced back to second-hand smoke, the report said.

Despite his wife's cancer, Wang persists in the deadly habit, only now, he smokes outside so he won't further affect his 43-year-old wife.

TOBACCO LOWERS LIFE EXPECTANCY

China's 12th Five-Year Plan endeavors to increase the average life expectancy one year, to 74.5 years. The government has also promised to ban smoking in public places "in an all-around manner" - the first time an anti-smoking measure has been included in its five-year plan.

Jiang Yuan, deputy director of the Tobacco Control Office of the China CDC, said cancer has become the number one cause of death, as lung cancer and coronary heart disease are afflicting young adults.

More than 7,000 chemicals have been discovered in tobacco smoke, of which 250 are harmful, and 70 may cause cancer, research has shown.

"About 25 percent of men will die of smoking-related disease," Jiang added.

World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun said last year that tobacco use can kill in so many ways that it is a risk factor for six of the eight leading causes of death in the world.

According to the tobacco-control report, secondhand smoke can be lethal for non-smokers, as it causes cancer, cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases, and increases the risk of heart disease by 25-30 percent and lung cancer 20-30 percent.

Second-hand smoke also leads to the sudden death of newborns, the report said.

Hu Angang, director of the Center for China Studies at Tsinghua University, said that about 2.4 trillion yuan of economic burden in the year of 2005 was caused by tobacco-related diseases, accounting for 13.1 percent of the annual GDP.

REGULATION IS A MUST

Voluntary smoking controls have proved ineffective, with laws and regulations being the only effective way of curbing the habit, according to the report.

Although the government has adopted the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), implementation is slow largely due to the interference of the tobacco industry, health experts said.

"Voluntary smoking control was a compromise advocated by the tobacco industry, which was under pressure of public criticism at the time," said Liang Xiaofeng, deputy director of the China CDC.

A local draft law that bans indoor smoking in public areas was passed on Thursday in Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang Province, which is considered to be an important milestone in reducing the harm caused by second-hand smoke.

Indoor smoking control regulations in Tianjin, Chongqing, Nanchang, Shenzhen and Shenyang are also being discussed or awaiting a vote.

"Everyone is privileged to protect oneself from being harmed by second-hand smoke, which is the aim of legislation," said Li Wei, an official with Tianjin Centers for Diseases Control (Tianjin CDC) and Prevention. "The tobacco-control law never deprives the right of smoking."

In February, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) ordered film and TV studios to restrict smoking scenes and to ban shots showing tobacco brands or minors in scenes while others are smoking.

Also in March, a revised regulation on health management in public places issued by the Ministry of Health said smoking would be banned in enclosed public locations, which took effect on May 1.

Yang Gonghuan, a tobacco-control expert and the deputy director of the China CDC, said government policy is one but not the only important part of tobacco-control initiatives.

A survey conducted by the China CDC shows less than 25 percent of the population have a thorough knowledge of the harm posed by smoking and second-hand smoke.

"Raising public awareness and urging them to join in tobacco-control efforts remains the key to success." Yang said.

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China opposes Vietnam oil, gas exploration in China's jurisdictional sea area: FM spokeswoman

China opposes Vietnam's exploring oil and gas in China's jurisdictional area of the South China Sea, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Saturday.

"China's stance on the South China Sea is clear and consistent. We oppose the oil and gas operations conducted by Vietnam, which have undermined China's interests and jurisdictional rights in the South China Sea and violated the consensus both countries have reached on the issue," Jiang said in a statement.

Jiang made the remarks responding to a recent report saying that Hanoi claimed Chinese marine surveillance vessels interfered with Vietnam's oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea and accused Beijing of violating its sovereignty.

"What relevant Chinese departments did was completely normal marine law-enforcement and surveillance activities in China's jurisdictional sea area," Jiang said.

"China has been committed to safeguarding the peace and stability in the South China Sea. We are willing to work together with relevant parties to seek a solution to related disputes and implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," Jiang said.

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Posted in: China opposes Vietnam oil,gas exploration in China's jurisdictional sea area: FM spokeswoman

China Railway signs agreement with Myanmar on rail project

China Railway Group Limited (China Railway) announced Saturday that it has signed a side agreement with Myanmar to jointly build a rail transport construction project in Myanmar.

The side agreement was a supplement to a memorandum of understanding signed in April between the Myanmar Union Ministry of Rail Transportation and the China Railways Engineering Corporation, the parent company of China Railway.

Under the MOU, China agreed to cooperate with Myanmar in building a railway extending between Myanmar's border town of Muse and the western Rakhine state's Kyaukphyu, a port city.

China Railway said it would be in charge of building the rail line, which starts from the Chinese city of Ruili in southwestern Yunnan Province, extending to Muse and ending at Kyaukphyu. The entire rail line runs 810 kilometers.

The company said the project, expected to be completed within three years according to the MOU, would help deepen China-Myanmar economic ties and boost the economic growth of Myanmar.

Li Changjin, China Railway President, signed the side agreement on behalf of the company in Beijing.

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NYMEX crude oil futures rose as gasoline futures rose before the holiday long weekends

Friday, U.S. crude oil futures once again stand firm, rose slightly, from gasoline futures rose in found support. Gasoline futures in anticipation of rising demand summer driving season, rose.

However, increases in crude oil futures limited, due to the U.S. pending home sales index fell, increasing concerns of economic weakness, so that a falling dollar after crude oil futures gave up most of the increase caused.

Memorial Day holiday weekend opened before the summer driving season, U.S. gasoline futures rose for the sixth trading day.

U.S. April pending home sales fell more than expected, down to the seven-month low, lowering the key of the property market recovery hopes.

NYMEX-CLN1 U.S. July crude oil futures rose $ 0.36, to close at $ 100.59. This week, U.S. crude oil futures rose $ 1.10, or 1.12%.

In London, the July crude oil futures LCOc1 Rand fell $ 0.02, to $ 115.03 a barrel. This week, Brent crude futures rose $ 2.64, or 2.35%.

Thin trading before the holiday, about an hour before the close of U.S. crude oil futures volume was 375,000, lower than the average 42% 30.

New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) closed floor trading on Monday. electronic transactions will be business as usual. London market closed on Monday holidays.
NYMEX-6 Gasoline futures rose 4.37 cents RBM1, or 1.43%, to $ 3.0920 a gallon, this is the highest since May 11 closing. This week, the contract rose 15.62 cents, or 5.3%.

According to the survey, in May average daily crude oil supply, OPEC members expected 2,890 million barrels in April from a revised 287.9 ​​million barrels.

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Posted in: NYMEX crude oil futures rose as gasoline futures rose before the holiday long weekends

Rue21 is much higher than expected quarterly earnings and raised full-year profit forecast

Youth apparel retailer Rue21 (RUE.O) announced on Thursday its quarterly profit well above expectations and raised full-year profit forecast.

In Friday morning trading, the stock soared 17.24%, to $ 33.53.

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Posted in: Rue21 is much higher than expected quarterly earnings and raised full-year profit forecast

Constellation Energy will buy electricity retailer StarTex Power

Electricity supply company Constellation Energy Group (CEG.N) will be 142.5 million cash acquisition of the Houston electricity retailer StarTex Power.

In Friday morning trading, Constellation Energy Group shares was up 0.02%, to 36.9 U.S. dollars.

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Weyerhaeuser Deutsche Bank downgrades to "sell ", which shares fell

Deutsche Bank said rising inventories of logs, resulting in timbervolume and prices, it will drag on forest wood productsmanufacturing and building business Weyerhaeuser Co (WY.N)performance this year; Deutsche Bank Weyerhaeuser rating from"hold," fell to "sell Out. "

In Friday morning trading, Weyerhaeuser shares fell 5.9%, to $ 20.76.

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Posted in: Weyerhaeuser Deutsche Bank downgrades to "sell ",which shares fell

Cuba claims opening win at China int'l women' s volleyball tournament

Cuba beat the Netherlands in straight sets here on Saturday for its opening victory at the 2011 China international women' s volleyball tournament.

Allegne Yanelis Santos had 13 kills and five aces to lead the Cuban team to the 25-17, 25-19 and 26-24 victory in 66 minutes.

Going down tamely in the first two sets, the Dutch women put up some real resistance in the third, overcoming a 17-10 deficit to level it at 23-all. After a spike of Ramos Rosanna Giel gave Cuba the edge at 24-23, Lonneke Sloetjes smashed a ball home to tie it at 24-all, only to find Santos score two points in a row to seal the victory for Cuba.

Sloetjes led the Netherlands with 18 points.

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Posted in: Cuba claims opening win at China int'l women' s volleyball tournament

Chinese premier emphasizes development of science, technology

Premier Wen Jiabao said Saturday China must develop powerful strength in science and technology and foster a large number of talented individuals in order to "gain the upper hand" in international competition.

He made the remarks while addressing a plenary session of the National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) on Saturday.

"China cannot develop without developing science and technology," Wen stressed. "Our future relies on the future of science and technology."

He said China should pool its resources on major science and technology research programs, while making progress in the development of some strategically important new industries.

Meanwhile, China should improve the quality, performance and competitiveness of traditional industries through scientific and technological progress, he said.

He went on to emphasize that as a large nation, China should develop its own basic research and frontier research, adding, "There is no base for the innovation of science and technology, if there is no original innovation in the basic and frontier sectors."

Wen pledged that the government will provide long-term, stable financial assistance for basic and frontier research.

China will set up a number of research centers with multiple tasks, based on high-level national research institutions and research-centered universities, while supporting and fostering a large number of talented people, according to the premier.

China should reform, step by step, the systems of management, decision-making, appraisal, and personnel in the field of science and technology, so as to form a modern system in this sector that fits the country's socialist market economy, the premier said.

Wen said the nation should work hard to create an environment for scientists to become bold and innovative, which also encourages freedom and democracy in academic issues.

He pledged to firmly carry out the national strategy on intellectual rights, by stepping up efforts to protection them, so as to give new vigor to the innovation of the entire nation.

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G8 summit tries to avoid self-indulgence

The Group of Eight (G8) summit devoted much to unrest in West Asia and North Africa and the Middle East peace process, and deliberately less to the global economy, perhaps conscious of its declining sway.

The G8 summit in the French resort of Deauville sends a signal that with the ever shifting international political and economic landscape and the rise of emerging economies, the world's eight powers can no longer dominate world affairs. Accordingly, their leaders tried to avoid self-indulgence at the summit.

DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM IN SPOTLIGHT

During the two-day meeting which ended Friday, the G8 leaders focused much on the political changes in the Middle East and North Africa.

"In light of the recent developments in the Middle East and North Africa, and in sub-Sahara Africa, we renewed our commitment to support democratic reform around the world and to respond to the aspirations for freedom," they said in a declaration.

As part of the "Deauville Partnership" with Arab nations, they pledged billions of dollars to foster Western-style democracy in the region and to support those countries engaged in a transition to democracy and tolerant societies.

While throwing out carrots, the G8 countries also showed their sticks. They issued an unequivocal demand for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to leave power and for Syria to immediately stop using violence against protesters.

The G8 consists of the world's most industrialized powers -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and Russia. As a club of major global powers, the G8, and previously, the G7, had dominated global affairs.

Although the eight countries have not entirely given up their ambition to seek dominance in world affairs, the rise of emerging economies has made G8 leaders aware that they should not be excessively self-indulgent at the summit.

There are serious doubts about the effectiveness of their carrot-and-stick policy in Arab countries.

Analysts familiar with Africa say, the democracy and freedom underlined in the declaration is a clear reminder of the democratization wave that swept Africa in the 1990s.

At that time, Western countries imposed the multiparty system across the continent, which finally led to serious recession in Africa, and even conflicts in some countries. The economic structural adjustments pushed through by the World Bank then also made African countries pay a price.

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Clinton's visit removes misconceptions: Pakistan

 Pakistan said on Saturday that the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had removed misconceptions and misunderstandings between the two countries to a great extent.

Hillary Clinton and Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen visited Pakistan on Friday to mend ties with its anti-terror ally which was angered at the unilateral U.S. raid to kill the al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan on May 2.

American media reported that Hillary Clinton asked Pakistan to take decisive steps against al-Qaida and Taliban and handed over a list of five most wanted militant leaders during four-hour meeting with Pakistan's top political and military leaders.

Pakistani Foreign Office spokeswoman Tehmina Janjua said that during discussions the leadership of the two countries indicated their concerns and they now understand each other's perspective in a better manner.

Speaking at a weekly news briefing, she said Pakistan and the United States have agreed to continue to fight terrorism, conduct joint operations, share information, ensure return of peace and stability to Afghanistan and facilitate the Afghan-led process of peace and reconciliation.

Regarding presence of so-called safe havens of terrorists in Pakistan, she said Pakistan is suffering from terrorism on daily basis. "It is, therefore, committed to eliminate terrorism and extremism from its soil," she said.

The spokeswoman said Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States have formed a core group to promote the process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. Two meetings of the group have already taken place and the third one would be held by the end of next month in Kabul.

She said there is recognition of the United States that Pakistan has a very important facilitating role to play in any process of reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan. Pakistan fully stands by Afghan people in this endeavor.

She said it became evident that the United States wishes to work together with Pakistan, adding that the United States underscored the concept of partnership and equality.

The two sides also agreed to intensify bilateral engagement and recommence preparatory work for strategic dialogue.

She said the two countries agreed that there will be greater transparency and information sharing in the context of joint operations.

She said the Pakistani leadership conveyed concerns of people of Pakistan about drone attacks and violation of sovereignty.

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Posted in: Clinton's visit removes misconceptions: Pakistan

Egyptian court fines Mubarak, two ex-ministers 90 mln dollars

An Egyptian court on Saturday decided to fine former President Hosni Mubarak and two ministers of his regime a total of 540 million Egyptian pounds (90 million U.S. dollars) for damaging the economy with cutting off the mobile and internet services during the anti-regime protests, state media reported.

The Administrative Court of State Council ordered Mubarak to pay 200 million pounds (33.5 million dollars) to the State treasury, former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif 40 million pounds (6.7 million dollars) and former Interior Minister Habib el-Adli 300 million pounds (50.3 million dollars).

This is the first court conviction against Mubarak since he was forced to step down on Feb. 11 after the 18-day protests.

The fine will be taken from their own assets and will be in compensation for the damage they caused to the economy when they ordered to shut down the mobile and internet services during the nationwide demonstration which erupted on January 25, state news agency MENA reported.

Mubarak's government shut down internet and blocked mobile phone services on Jan. 28, the most violent day of the protests, in a bid to prevent activists from using social network services including Twitter and Facebook to organize the protests.

Mubarak faces more accusations, including ordering the shooting of the peaceful protesters, which could carry the death penalty, and corruption charges. On Tuesday, Mubarak and his two sons, Alaa and Gamal, were referred to a criminal court on charges of ordering the killings of protesters and graft.

He has been under custody in a hospital in the Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh since the beginning of investigations against him.

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Posted in: Egyptian court fines Mubarak,two ex-ministers 90 mln dollars