Officials say a new treaty to replace the Kyoto accords on greenhouse gas emissions could take another year.

UN officials have admitted progress has been so slow on the most difficult issues they will need more time to legally seal the deal.

The key problems are targets for emissions cuts and money for poorer nations.

Copenhagen could still lead to a significant political agreement, but if it happens it will be a major achievement.

Above targets, money and technology, one major element was clearly missing this week - trust.

As the session winds up, finance ministers from the G20 have arrived in Scotland to discuss the global financial recovery and tackle climate change.

G20 meeting

G20 countries are agreed on the need to cut carbon emissions, but not on ...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:58:52 +0800

Chinese Finance Minister Xie Xuren, speaking after financeministers and central bank governors of the Group of 20 nationsmet in Scotland, said countries with global reserve currenciesshould work to maintain the currencies' value, China's officialXinhua news agency reported.

Xie also said countries should pay attention to thesustainability of their fiscal policies and economic growth.

Chinese central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said theInternational Monetary Fund should increase its monitoring ofeconomic policies and financial markets in developed countries,Xinhua reported.

The Xinhua report was the first official Chinese response tothe G20 meeting, which ended on Saturday. (Reporting by Langi Chiang; Editing by Andrew Torchia)

By Langi Chiang

ST ANDREWS, Scotland, Nov 7 (Reuters) - China on Saturdayshrugged off international pressure to appreciate its currency,saying developed countries should focus on the quality of theirown economic policy-making.

Chinese Finance Minister Xie Xuren, speaking after financeministers and central bank governors of the Group of 20 nationsmet in Scotland, said countries with global reserve currenciesshould work to maintain the currencies' value to avoiddestabilising the world economy.

"All countries should pay attention to the sustainability oftheir fiscal policies and economic growth, and take timely andeffective steps to address potential risks, includinginflation," China's official Xinhua news agency quoted Xie assaying.

Chinese central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said theInternational Monetary Fund should increase its monitoring ofeconomic policies and financial markets in developed countrie...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:13:37 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196553/MTk2NTUzYFx1Ru81.html     GUANGZHOU, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's economic growth in the coming year should rely on expanding domestic demand instead of a recovery of the global economy, a senior economist said here Saturday.

    "The world's economy is recovering but it will need more time, so China should basically rely on increasing domestic demand and expanding home market to drive its economic growth," said Yao Jingyuan, chief economist of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

    At the 4th China International Oils and Oilseeds Conference held in Guangzhou, provincial capital of South China's Guangdong, Yao said external demand for Chinese products was still weak though drop of China's exports had been decelerating over the last three quarters.

    The world's major economies, including the United States and the European Union, were seeing signs of recovery, but the recovering proc...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:07:05 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196552/MTk2NTUyiFV8tGqB.html     by Xinhua writers Yu Fei, Shi Xinrong

    BEIJING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Over the past 27 years, Shi Shengchang has trudged along the bumpy paths in southwest China's mountainous area, visiting poor villagers.

    The happiest thing for the taciturn man is to see impoverished people living a better life with the loans he offered.

    "As long as people are diligent, I believe they can get out of poverty," said Shi, director of the Rural Credit Cooperatives (RCC) in Shuitang Town of Ziyun County, Guizhou Province.

    In China, more than 90 percent of the agricultural loans are provided by the Rural Credit Cooperatives, which are regional rural cooperative financial institutions formed by shareholding partners. Different from the large banks whose customers are mainly in cities, RCC focuses on farmers.

    Shi, 47, wa...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:04:35 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196551/MTk2NTUxqQcuwWMP.html     CHENGDU, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of a bus crash accident in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Friday has risen to seven, as five injured passengers failed medical treatment on Saturday, according to the provincial work safety bureau.

    Another 17 injured passengers were still under medical treatment. One was in critical condition, hospital sources said.

    Two people died on the spot, when a bus carrying 24 people suddenly got off road and plunged 30 meters into a roadside ditch in Fulong Township in Leshan City at noon time Friday.

    The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

    A fire-fighting official said 3,276 villagers have fallen victims to the fire, as their houses were burnt down.

    The official said that the county government sent 43 fire engines and mobilized 2,500 people to put out the fire, which broke out at 2:30 a.m. Friday. The fire was put out at 7 a.m.

    A government investigation team led by Zheng Junkang, mayor of Liuzhou City, which administrates Sanjiang, found the fire was caused by the malfunction of the electric switch of the rice mill owned by villager Wei Xianting. The 70-year-old man and his four-year-old granddaughter were among the dead.

    The Linluetun village is densely popula...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:03:53 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196549/MTk2NTQ5ppCNolcP.html     WUHAN, Central China, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The seventh Wuhan international horse racing festival opened here on Saturday, attracting equestrians of the world and more than 300 horses.

    During the two-day festival, more than 130 equestrians from seven countries and regions, such as Japan, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong and Macao of China, and 22 teams from the Chinese mainland will compete in this first-class horse race pageant of the country.

    Six big horse races, including the important National Speed Racing Championship, will be staged at Wuhan Orient Lucky City with the biggest race course in the Chinese mainland.

    Besides, some races of this festival introduce the games with award that audience can win a mobile phone rechargeable card if they guess right the winners.

    As a sport event and entertainment, horse racing first thr...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:03:31 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196548/MTk2NTQ4lQOmhs3X.html     NINGBO, Zhejiang, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- A senior official has called for unity among people living on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

    Jia Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, made the call during his meeting with James Soong, chairman of the Taiwan-based People First Party and Yok Mu-ming, chairman of the New Party Saturday in Ningbo of east Zhejiang Province.

    Jia praised Soong and his party for firmly opposing "Taiwan independence", safeguarding the interests of people from both sides of the strait and those of the Chinese nation, and promoting cross-Strait cooperation.

    Jia, also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that the cross-Strait relations have ...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:00:59 +0800 China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:44:54 +0800 CAIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here Saturday that China is willing to further enhance its friendly cooperation with the Arab world in various sectors.

During a speech at the Arab League headquarters in downtown Cairo, Wen said China and the Arab world are both entrusted with the mission of renewing their centuries-old civilizations.

"Let us join hands and take the friendly cooperation between China and Arab countries to a new level," Wen proposed.

Reviewing the history of China-Arab relations, the Chinese premier put forward a four-point proposal to promote bilateral cooperation.

First, China is committed to deepening political trust and strengthening strategic cooperation with Arab countries.

"It serves the fundamental interests of both sides to solidify political trust and intensify strategic cooperation," Wen explained.

The establishment and development of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum ha...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:24:03 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196545/MTk2NTQ1bjOk3raI.html Photo Gallery>>>

CAIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the Presidential Palace in Cairo on Saturday morning.

They are expected to exchange views on bilateral relations and the fourth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which is scheduled to open on Sunday in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Wen is paying a two-day official visit to Egypt. Special report: Wen visits Egypt, attends China-Africa forum

The air force chiefs attending the forum agreed that given the current security conditions, all the nations should work together in responding to the challenges in space and air.

They proposed strengthening mutual trust and increase cooperation among air forces and put forward suggestions on establishing a global association of air forces, sharing outer space information.

"The meeting is conducive to boosting understanding and friendship between air forces" said PLA Air Force Commander Gen. Xu Qiliang at the closing ceremony.

Xu said, it proved the cooperative relations between air forces were full of vitality, and demonstrated the air forces' aspiration and confidence of dealin...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:23:21 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196543/MTk2NTQzWKVCeEJv.html BEIJING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Major highways to Beijing have been closed as the capital and neighboring Hebei Province and Tianjin Municipality were shrouded in dense fog on Saturday.

The average visibility in Beijing was less than 500 meters on Saturday morning. The city's meteorological station said the fog would continue on Sunday, and would be dispersed by a cold air on Sunday evening.

The city's environmental protection bureau said that the fog, which has dominated Beijing since Friday, deteriorated the city's air quality.

Beijing recorded "serious pollution" Saturday, which was rare during this year, according to a bulletin issued by the China Environmental Monitoring Center.

According to the China's Central Meteorological Station, ten provinces and municipalities in north, central and east China were affected by the fog.

In Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, more than 10,000 passengers were stranded at the Chen...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:23:00 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196542/MTk2NTQyrAU7Zk1f.html

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan urged Myanmar Saturday to release detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi before next year's election, adding it was ready to provide more aid if democratization in the country advanced.

The comments came a few days after a U.S. delegation made a landmark visit to Myanmar as part of a new policy of engagement by the Obama administration.

"It is extremely important that Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners are all released before the general election to be held in 2010," Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told Myanmar's visiting prime minister, according to a Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Hatoyama also urged General Thein Sein to ensure all stakeholders could take part in the election.

Japan has distanced itself from the policy of Western powers, which have imposed tough sanctions on Myanmar, and from that of China, which has pumped billions of dollars into the country.

ST ANDREWS, Scotland (Reuters) - British finance minister Alistair Darling urged his G20 counterparts on Saturday to work toward a $100 billion deal to tackle climate change but developing nations insisted they did not want to talk about it.

Britain is hosting the third meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers this year in St Andrews, Scotland, and is determined to push forward on an ambitious target to meet the costs of climate change by 2020, ahead of a major environmental summit in Copenhagen next month.

"It really is imperative that when we reach the end of the day that we have shown that we have made some real progress," Darling said at the start of talks on Saturday.

"If there isn't an agreement on finance ... then the Copenhagen agreement is going to be much, much more difficult."

But there appeared to be little chance of a breakthrough with many emerging countries questioning whether it should...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:08:49 +0800     JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's relations with China are conducive to the country's plan to halve unemployment by 2014, the labor minister said on Saturday.

    Speaking at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart He Xian in Cape Town, South African Labor Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said South Africa wanted to learn vital strategies of job creation from the Asian country as it also faced the same unemployment crisis, the Cape Time reported.

    "A fact of life that cannot be ignored is that both South Africa and China are developing countries whose growing stature in international affairs is there for everybody to see, " Mdladlana was quoted as saying

    "No wonder we are being invited to all important global forums as an acknowledgement of the positive role we both play," Mdladlana added.

    The visiting Chinese min...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:07:35 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196539/MTk2NTM5pHhc8pQF.html     CAIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao highlighted here Saturday diversity of civilizations in the world, calling for respect, dialogue and exchange among different civilizations.

    "There exist diverse civilizations in the world, just like the existence of diverse species in the nature," Wen said during a speech at the headquarters of the Arab League in downtown Cairo.

    The world today is home to over 200 countries and regions, more than 2,500 ethnic groups and 6,000-plus languages, Wen said, adding that "dialogue, exchange and integration among different civilizations form the powerful current of the human civilization are surging ahead ceaselessly."

    The Chinese premier said both the Islamic and the Chinese civilizations are treasures of the human civilization and both have made indelible contributions to the progress and develop...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:07:13 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196538/MTk2NTM4l5uQ8X1x.html     CAIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here Saturday that China is willing to further enhance friendly cooperation with the Arab world in various sectors.

    During a speech at the Arab League headquarters in downtown Cairo, Wen said China and the Arab world both shoulder the sacred mission of renewing their centuries-old civilizations.

    "Let us join hands and take the friendly cooperation between China and Arab countries to a new level," said Wen. Special report: Wen visits Egypt, attends China-Africa forum

    CAIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met wi...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:06:51 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196537/MTk2NTM3uaQmfNrA.html     CAIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao promised here on Saturday that his country will continue to promote the peace process in the Middle East, which he said deserves a peaceful and beautiful future.

    "China is ready to step up consultation with Arab countries and other parties concerned and play a constructive role in promoting a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Middle East issue in order to achieve peace, security and stability in this part of the world," Wen said in a speech at the Arab League headquarters in downtown Cairo.

    "The fundamental way to resolve the Middle East issue is to replace confrontation with dialogue, promote reconciliation by increasing understanding, and stop the bloodshed and conflicts," he added. Special report: Wen visits Egypt, attends China-Africa forum

    "In response to the serious impact of the international financial crisis, it is all the more important for us to take more concerete and effective measures to expand practical cooperation in economy and trade, energy, investment, finance, tourism and human resources training," Wen said in a speech at the Arab League headquarters in downtown Cairo.

    He stressed that there is great scope and enormous potential for business cooperation between China and Arab countries. Special report: Wen visits Egypt, attends China-Africa forum

    "Cultural exchange will help deepen mutual understanding about each other's history and current conditions, strengthen the bond of friendship and build strong public support for our friendship," Wen said in a speech at the Arab League headquarters in downtown Cairo.

    "The Chinese government encourages growing educational, cultural, tourism and other exchanges with Arab countries. We will encourage more young people to study in Arab countries and welcome young Arab students to come to China for study or visit," he added. Special report: Wen visits Egypt, attends China-Africa forum

    Zhang made the call when delivering a speech at the 2009 Conference on International Exchange of Professionals, which opened Friday in Shenzhen, boom city in southern Guangdong Province.

    China would unswervingly follow the policy of opening up and would continue bringing in foreign professionals to broaden international exchange and promote world development, Zhang said.

    He stressed that China attached equal importance to nurturing talent on its own and importing experts from abroad.

    He said, "Under the current circumstance, increasing cooperation in professionals will be conducive to tackling global financial crisis and facilitating th...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:05:06 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196532/MTk2NTMyDYztKA0H.html

    CAIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made a five-point proposal to further expand cooperation between China and Egypt during a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Nazef here on Saturday.

    Wen said practical cooperation between the two sides had grown in the three years since his last visit, when the countries agreed to deepen strategic and cooperative relations. China has invested more in Egypt and people-to-people exchanges had also greatly increased.

    The premier suggested the two sides should focus on the following five aspects when conducting cooperation in the future:

    First, both countries should strengthen coordination with each other to bring s...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:04:45 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196531/MTk2NTMxPRp010TN.html     VIENTIANE, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Laos expects to enhance exchanges and cooperation with China in news and media areas, said Lao Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad here on Saturday.

    Somsavat made the remarks when meeting with Wang Chen, Minister of the State Council Information Office of China, who is in Laos for the First Conference of the ASEAN+3 Ministers Responsible for Information.

    Ministers in charge of news and information from Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries, China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ASEAN+3) met here on Friday to discuss cooperation and exchanges.

    Somsavat said the participation of Chinese delegation to the meeting contribute to its success and the development of Laos-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

    Somsavat expected Laos and China could strengthen ...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:04:25 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196530/MTk2NTMwTPcqGXL2.html     HARARE, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- On the advent of the fourth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Egypt, Zimbabwean media, both newspapers and radio broadcast, have hailed the great achievements made under the auspices of the forum over the past years.

    Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Friday left for Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to join other heads of state and government attending the meeting, where the leaders will review the progress made in strengthening the Sino-African ties since the 2006 Beijing summit.

    He is expected to address the opening ceremony.

    Apart from reviewing the implementation of agreements already reached, the two sides will also chart the course of action for the next three years.

    Saturday's local newspaper The Herald said the Sino-African ties are premised on the prin...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:04:03 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196529/MTk2NTI5uMfFIqia.html     CAIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao discussed bilateral ties, global challenges and Middle East peace with Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak here on Saturday.

    Egypt was the first Arabic and African country to establish diplomatic relations and relations of strategic cooperation with China and the China-Egypt relationship occupied an important position in China's foreign relations, Wen said.

    In recent years, the content of the bilateral strategic cooperation has been increasingly enriched, and has produced mutually beneficial achievements, he said.

    The two countries have closely cooperated on major international and global issues, and have effectively protected common interests. China is willing to work with Egypt to maintain high-profile exchanges, deepen cooperation in areas such as trade and commerce, and to strengthen commu...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:03:41 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196528/MTk2NTI4EPlfRvtJ.html     MOSCOW, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The reciprocal language years staged in China and Russia are a powerful impetus for cultural exchanges and friendship, said an expert from the International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature (MAPRYAL) on Friday.

    Liu Limin, vice president and general secretary of the association, told Xinhua that the language-year events, acknowledged by Chinese and Russian leaders as a pivotal measure to promote mutual understanding, friendly ties and strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, "are of realistic and historical significance."

    Liu, who was also the president of the Association of Chinese Teachers of Russian Language and Literature (ACTRLL), took an anecdote from ancient Chinese history as an example.

    He said a Chinese emperor in the Ming Dynasty once wrote a goodwill letter to the Russ...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:03:20 +0800 /articles/09/1108/196527/MTk2NTI3Y00rZlJF.html     SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The 3rd Conference of Chinese, African Entrepreneurs kicked off Saturday afternoon in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

A Chinese scholar persecuted during the Cultural Revolution for smuggling a rare collection of mushrooms out of China before World War II was honored Saturday when the collection was returned more than 70 years later.

At a ceremony at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cornell University President David Skorton handed over the collection that had been meticulously gathered by scholar Shu Chun Teng.

Teng studied mycology at Cornell University in the 1920s, then spent the next decade traveling on horseback gathering molds, lichens, yeasts, rusts and morels in the forests, fields and marshes of his homeland.

"I think the most important part about what we're doing here today is really returning a hand to the Chinese people that was outstretched three quarters of a century ago," Skorton said.

During the Japanese invasion in 1937, Teng arranged for his best specimens to be removed from a national botany institute he directed to save them from destruct...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:33:51 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196523/MTk2NTIzEwIYmwG1.html

MOC spokesman Yao Jian said that some countries and regions resorted to expanding exports to boost economic recovery after efforts to stimulate domestic demand failed, and even depreciated domestic currency and increased subsidies to raise competitiveness of domestics exports.

"Such moves lead to the rising trade protectionism," Yao told a forum on international trade development held in this northern port city neighboring Beijing.

Yao said 19 economies launched 88 probes into Chinese products in the first 9 months, involving 10.2 billion U.S. dollars of export goods. The two figures were 29 percent and 125 percent respectively higher than the same period last year.

The 88 probes against Chinese products included 57 cases of anti-dumping, nine cases of anti-subsidy, 15...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:31:13 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196522/MTk2NTIyKmDMuxRo.html

African ministers of trade, industry, commerce and international cooperation will attend the meeting, together with hundreds of representatives from Chinese and African companies, aiming at opening new horizons for economic cooperation between China and Africa.

This conference is one of a series of meetings held prior to the fourth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) scheduled for Nov. 8-9.

Saturday's meeting represents a great opportunity for African companies to establish joint cooperation in various fields with Chinese companies, Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid said in a statement issued prior to the meeting.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to furthering economic cooperation...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:30:52 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196521/MTk2NTIxgo8D6yXa.html

The study commissioned by the German government is the first major assessment that quantifies the progress of developing nations' efforts to cut emissions.

Climate groups say it puts pressure on countries like Australia to come to the negotiating table proposing deep cuts to emissions and aid for poorer nations.

"We know China have got aggressive plans to improve energy efficiency and promote renewable energy, India are putting in plans and legislation, [and] we're seeing emissions trading systems emerge in Mexico and South Korea," the Climate Institute's Erwin Jackson said.

"If you add these policies up, they are starting to get to the levels which are more than sufficient to trigger developed country action in the order of 25 to 40 per cent reductions by 2020."

Mr Jackson says the ...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:22:17 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196520/MTk2NTIw3ekgnmkX.html

* Agreement needed before key Copenhagen summit in Dec

* Meeting also seeking progress on balanced growth scheme

By Toni Vorobyova and Anna Willard

ST ANDREWS, Scotland, Nov 7 (Reuters) - British financeminister Alistair Darling urged his G20 counterparts on Saturdayto work toward a $100 billion deal on tackling climate change asdeveloping nations held firm they did not want to talk about it.

Darling is hosting the third meeting of Group of 20 financeministers and central bankers this year in St Andrews, Scotland,to discuss the progress of the global economy and come up with aframework to ensure future crises did not happen.

Britain is also determined to push forward on an ambitioustarget to meet the costs of climate change by 2020 ahead of amajor environmental summit in Copenhagen next month.

"I think it really is imperative that when we reach the endof the day t...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:05:57 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196519/MTk2NTE5UZRilbpn.html

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Tiger Woods is hoping to inhabit a world of his own as he tries to make up two shots on tournament leader Phil Mickelson in Sunday's final round showdown between the top two in the world at the WGC-HSBC Champions.

The pair of golfing titans will be joined for the fourth round at the Sheshan International by compatriot Nick Watney, who shares second with Woods.

Woods and Mickelson were paired for the final round at the U.S. Masters this year but they were seven shots off the pace and Sunday will be a rare head-to-head in the leading group.

"You just go play, no matter who is out in front, whether it's Phil or someone else," world number one Woods told reporters.

"You want to win a tournament, you have to go out there and play and execute. You get into your own little world and try and do the best you possibly can, and hopefully you can come out on top."

Mickelson beat the 14-times major w...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:05:29 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196518/MTk2NTE4VbKkumfq.html

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Phil Mickelson shot a third-round five-under-par 67 to take a two-shot lead at the $7 million WGC-HSBC Champions on Saturday, setting up a rare head-to-head battle with Tiger Woods on the final day.

World number two Mickelson finished the day at 14-under for the tournament, while Woods and Nick Watney, who shared the lead overnight, both shot 70s to ensure an all-American leading group on Sunday.

Despite being the best two players in the world in recent years, world number one Woods and Mickelson have not often been put together in the leading group final round with a title up for grabs.

"I don't know how often it's happened," Mickelson told reporters. "But I know we are both looking forward to it. I think it will be a fun day."

Mickelson, who won here in 2007, picked up three shots in his first five holes to join Woods and Watney at the top of the leaderboard before dropping off with a bogey five wh...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:05:00 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196517/MTk2NTE3bNgi4DBg.html

ST ANDREWS, Scotland (Reuters) - British finance minister Alistair Darling urged his G20 counterparts on Saturday to work toward a $100 billion deal on tackling climate change as developing nations held firm they did not want to talk about it.

Darling is hosting the third meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers this year in St Andrews, Scotland, to discuss the progress of the global economy and come up with a framework to ensure future crises did not happen.

Britain is also determined to push forward on an ambitious target to meet the costs of climate change by 2020 ahead of a major environmental summit in Copenhagen next month.

"I think it really is imperative that when we reach the end of the day that we have shown that we have made some real progress," Darling said at the start of talks on Saturday.

"If there isn't an agreement on finance ... then the Copenhagen agreement is going to be much, much...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:04:36 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196516/MTk2NTE2XSki68qf.html

TODAY'S EVENTS

PORT GHALIB - First day of two-day ozone conference attendedby 196 countries.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8

SHARM EL-SHEIKH - Two-day China-Africa cooperation forumopens.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9

CAIRO - British Egyptian businessmen roundable on impact offinancial collapse on Egypt a year later.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11

CAIRO - Commercial International Bank (COMI.CA) due torelease third quarter results.

DRESDEN, GERMANY - Final verdict expected in Marwa Sherbinicase.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12

CAIRO - Telecom Egypt (ETEL.CA) to release Q3 results.

CAIRO - Orascom Development Holding to release Q3 results.

  Continued...

The need for China and other countries with big currentaccount surpluses to rebalance their economies away from exportswill be a main theme for finance ministers and central bankchiefs at the Group of 20 meeting in Scotland on Saturday.

"The world's economy is recovering, but it will need moretime. So China should basically rely on increasing domesticdemand and expanding its home market to drive its economicgrowth," the official Xinhua news agency quoted Yao as tellingan oilseeds conference in Guangzhou.

Although he described external demand as weak, Yao said somemanufacturers in the export-orientated industrial heartlands ofthe Pearl River Delta near Hong Kong were facing labourshortages.

With China firmly on the recovery path, internationalpressure has been mounting once more on Beijing to push up theexchange rate of the yuan CNY=CFXS. China has virtuallyrepegged its currency to the dollar since mid-2008 after lett...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:03:50 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196514/MTk2NTE0Djcday0q.html China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:05:28 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196513/MTk2NTEzZqQ4omkL.html BEIJING — It could almost be a "World of Warcraft" game session: Two competing titans, plotting against each other, swapping blows, embarked on a quest for a single prize that only the stronger will claim.

But this is not virtual reality. The titans are two agencies of the Chinese government. And their quest, during which they have traded a few blows in the past week, is for a potentially rich prize: the power to regulate the real "World of Warcraft," among the most popular online games in China.

The background: On Monday, the Chinese General Administration of Press and Publication ordered the Shanghai-based operator of "World of Warcraft," NetEase, to shut down its servers for "World of Warcraft." The agency said it had rejected the company's application to become the new host of the game's 4 million Chinese players.

The Ministry of Culture struck back Wednesday.

"In regards to the 'World of Warcraft' incident, the General Administratio...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:00:25 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196512/MTk2NTEy0HP1IbRY.html On the day his side lost the Vietnam War, Hung Ba Le fled his homeland at the age of 5 in a fishing trawler crammed with 400 refugees. Thirty-four years later, he makes an unlikely homecoming - as the commander of a U.S. Navy destroyer.

Commander H.B. Le was scheduled Saturday to pilot the USS Lassen into Danang, home of China Beach, where U.S. troops frequently headed for R&R during the war, which ended on April 30, 1975, when the southern city of Saigon fell to communist troops from North Vietnam.

That was the day Le and his family embarked on an uncertain journey in a fishing boat piloted by Le's father, who was a commander in the South Vietnamese navy. They were rescued at sea by the USS Barbour County, taken to a U.S. base in the Philippines, a refugee camp in California and finally to northern Viriginia, where they rebuilt their lives.

Le will return on the Lassen, an $800,000 million, 509-foot, 9,145-ton destroyer equipped ...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:00:03 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196511/MTk2NTExi8RJEr12.html The Beijing meteorological center issued a cold wave warning for Sunday, and predicted the highest temperature of the day will be minus 2 degrees Centigrade, falling to minus 5 at night.

Hundreds of teachers from private high schools in this western China city called a strike this week to protest low salaries and deplorable working conditions.

On Thursday afternoon, teachers at the Chengdu Foreign Languages School, owned by the Chengdu-based Derui Group, had a dialogue with Yan Yude, chairman of the group, who is in this year's list of the richest men in China. Teachers asked for a pay rise, and Yan offered an increase of 1,000 yuan ($147) per month for the average teacher.

Teachers rejected Yan's proposal, saying many State-owned schools in the city had recently given their teachers a monthly pay raise of 3,000 yuan per month, said Ma, a renowned teacher of English in the city.

Yan responded that the teachers should go ahead and resign, and that he was not scared of their threats because he had thousands of potential teachers to choose from for his school.

Yan's wife, Wang Xiaoying, sna...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:29:41 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196509/MTk2NTA528VttcaA.html The drought has cut off normal water supply in some rural areas. "Villagers in Fengxin, Jing'an, Leping counties have to carry drinking water by trucks," said Sun Xiaoshan, deputy director of the office.

"The water levels of four of the province's five main rivers hit record lows and are still dropping," he added.

"The self-cleaning ability of the rivers has decreased significantly due to the drastic fall of water volume, posing a threat to public health," Sun said.

The provincial government has stepped up water quality monitoring and supervision over enterprises that may cause pollution, Sun added.

Meteorological rockets have failed to bring much relief as there is little moisture in the air, Sun said.

The drought is expe...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:29:22 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196508/MTk2NTA4VTSLq8Jc.html The initial phase of the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labeling Scheme will be fully implemented following the expiry of an 18- month grace period on Sunday, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said in a news bulletin Friday.

The scheme was introduced under the Energy Efficiency Ordinance. The initial phase of the scheme covers above three categories of products.

The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department will conduct inspections at retail shops to monitor compliance with the Ordinance, the bulletin said.

"Any person who supplies a prescribed product which does not properly bear an energy label or is not of a listed model will commit an offense and is liable to a fine of 100,000 HK dollars ( 12,821 U.S. dol...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:29:02 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196507/MTk2NTA3v1qyHN2i.html The cabin of the passenger boat was seriously damaged by a sand-loaded cargo ship in the Pearl River estuary at about 7:45 pm Thursday.

The two victims were among 75 passengers and 10 crew members onboard, setting off from Hong Kong along its regular route to the Lianhuashan port, headed to Guangdong province, a press notice from Panyu district government said.

The two dead were a 64-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman from the Netherlands, authorities confirmed.

Among the injured passengers, two are Hong Kong natives, with another two also from Netherlands. The rest were Panyu natives.

Those who were injured were immediately sent to hospitals nearby.

As of yesterday afternoon, one Hong Kon...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:28:43 +0800 /articles/09/1107/196506/MTk2NTA2LgAuoDY6.html Zhang Bo and Zhong Tao were each jailed for 17 years.

Residents said the gang founded by the brothers two years ago was full of members who "still wear baby faces". The youngest gang member arrested by police during the crackdown was 19.

The twins from Wanzhou district were also fined 100,000 yuan ($14,600) each for organizing and leading a mafia-style gang, running gambling houses, intentional injury of others, intentional damage of other's assets and illegal detention.

The convictions in Chongqing No 2 intermediate people's court followed a trial in which Zhang Bo claimed: "I can't have formed any sort of organization. I've never even heard of black society (a mafia-style gang)."

Twelve people were found guilty on Friday of being a pa...]]> China Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:28:21 +0800