Mitt Romney quits race for White House

Mitt Romney has quit in his campaign for presidential candidate. Before waving goodbye to supporters he said, "This is not an easy decision, I hate to lose". But he said he was standing down for the good of the party adding, "I feel I must stand aside for our party and for our country". In a reference to withdrawal plans much talked about by both Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton he said, "We cannot allow the next president of the United State to retreat in the face of evil extremism". The Republican campaign is now left with the favourite John McCain leading the push for the White House. The other remaining contenders, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul have yet to state their intentions following poor results after Super Tuesday [CNN / BBC / Sky News].

The dangers of blogging

The world of blogging is becoming increasingly dangerous as the state clamps down on dissenting voices. China is the latest to censor one writer who used his blog to highlight human rights in his country. Hu Jia was arrested on 27th December 2006 and remains under house arrest [BBC]. While Mr Hu remains at home, unable to communicate to the outside world, journalist Ching Cheong was released in a ‘goodwill gesture’ ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games [BBC / The Times]. In Saudi Arabia the future of another blogger remains uncertain after he was detained by authorities last month [BBC]. Fouad al-Farhan, whose blog deals with corruption and the plight of political prisoners, has himself become a political cause for other bloggers around the world. His case has even been highlighted on international news outlets such as CNN. In another part of the Middle East blogger Wael Abbas, an Egyptian, received threats for writing about police brutality. At one point, Abbas had both his accounts at YouTube and Yahoo suspended.
Afghanistan is now safe place for bloggers as Parwez Kambakhsh found out earlier this year after distributing material which ‘questioned the Koran’ [New Statesman / BBC]. However after much international pressure his death sentence has been put on hold, though he still remains confined to a prison cell in northern Afghanistan [CNN].

A few years ago blogging was practically unheard of in mainstream journalism, but it has proved itself to be a powerful force in countries such as Burma as a means, not only of freedom of expression, but also often the only way news in those countries can transcend borders.
These days, the Committee to Protect Journalists has taken up the cause of many bloggers struggling to be heard against various authoritarian regimes.

Of course the consequences of blogging can affect one’s personal life or even employment status. Bloggers have been sacked and even sued for their commentary [Blogging consequences]. But it is the political censorship that worries many [BBC] especially if it translates into harsh or even capital sentences [Reporters sans Frontieres].

Death toll rises after US storms

A radar map shows the path of the deadly storms

The death toll has risen to 55 in the US after devastating storms swept through five states; Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi. The storms left widespread destruction but the true scale of devastation did not become clear until daybreak. Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed by an estimated 60 tornadoes which tore through the south-east of the United States. President George W Bush is set to visit the area on Friday [BBC / Sky News / CNN].

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi dies aged 91

The Maharishi in the 1960s

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who founded and developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and related initiatives has died. The religious ‘guru’ became famous after being visited by the Beatles in the 1960s. Throughout his life he started many religious institutions, schools and even two universities; oe in China and another in the US. His influence and beliefs even spread into politics with the Natural Law Party being established in the 1990s. Widely ridiculed for its use of Yogic Flying the party never gained any significant standing in the world of politics.
On January 11th, 2008, he announced his retirement from his normal activities: "Invincibility is irreversibly established in the world. My work is done. My designated duty to Guru Dev is fulfilled." [BBC]

新年快乐 - Happy New Year

新年快乐 Xian Nian Kuai Le - Festivities in Beijing

CCTV-9 today broadcast a spectacular Spring Festival Gala to welcome in the Chinese New Year of the Rat. Lasting some 4 hours the performances ranged from songs sung by well known Chinese stars and theatrical performances of the Peking Opera. In a finale the heroes of the Chinese space programme were celebrated for their achievements. There then followed a fireworks display. The televisual extravaganza is traditional enjoyed by families all over China and has been broadcast every year for the last two decades. Throughout the gala there was praise for the police and People’s Liberation Army who had helped millions return home through the harsh winter snow. Despite their best efforts and the upbeat reports on Chinese State media many were unable to make the journey home and had to remain in their factory dormitories. The year of the rat was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is the first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The rat is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, but is also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities. One hope that 2008 is remembered for the positive attributes of this fluffy creature.

US - Tornadoes leave 27 dead

Rare February tornadoes have killed 27 people in the US. Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky were the worst hit with the storms damaging homes, factories and at least one hospital. More than 100 were injured in the tornadoes which forced the closure of some polling stations [CNN]

US Election - no clear result after Super Tuesday

After the much discussed and debated Super Duper Tuesday there is still no clear front runner in the presidential candidate race, at least as far as the Democrats are concerned. Twenty four states voted in yesterday’s Super Tuesday, but after all the votes were counted Obama and Clinton remained neck and neck. John McCain remained the clear front runner in the Republican race with Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee still trailing behind [CNN].
On the Democratic race, Clinton was out in front with 825 with Obama at 732. McCain was ahead of the two main Republican contenders with 615. Romney and Huckabee achieved 268 and 169 respectively. These figures of course may change as the last few votes are counted, but the position of the main candidates is likely to remain the same [In depth - CNN]. All the candidates were upbeat despite their differing positions. “We’re going to win this thing and go to the White House” Mitt Romney told his supporters last night.. Mike Huckabee was equally positive in his outlook saying, “People keep saying it’s a two man race; it is, and were in it”. John McCain is due to meet with the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown when he visits London this Friday.

Target Earth as satellite falls from orbit

A grainy video still by amateur satellite watcher John Locker

Planet Earth may be struck by remnants of a US military satellite which is slowly falling from its orbit. US-193 lost power soon after its launch in December 2006 but it still has sensitive equipment on board. Though it is believed the satellite may crash into North America, the US Military say they still aren’t sure exactly where. Nor can they say when. "We're aware that this satellite is out there. We're aware it is a fairly substantial size. And we know there is at least some percentage that it could land on ground as opposed to in the water", Air Force General Gene Renuart, who heads US Northern Command, told reporters. The satellite is a approximately 4 metres long and 5 metres wide and falling at an estimated rate of 500 metres per day. At the beginning of February it was about 275 km above the Earth, but it will be difficult to assess where it might land until it passes through the atmosphere some 90 km above the surface [Sky News / BBC]. The chances of the redundant spy equipment landing on your house is extremely remote [BBC] but the US military will be concerned if it lands in ‘hostile territory’.

Super Duper Tuesday arrives in the US

Nearly half the United States is voting today in what has been dubbed Super Duper Tuesday as contenders for the Presidential candidate battle it out. Twenty four states are voting to decide who will stand for president for the two main parties. It has become a two horse race for the Democrats after John Edwards pulled out last week saying, “It’s time for me to sep step aside, so that history can, so that so that history can blaze its path”.

On the Republican side John McCain remains the favourite, though Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are still in the running. The American election process is perhaps the most complex and longest running procedure in the entire democratic world. In the UK after an election is declared there is little under a month of campaigning before voters go to the polls. But in the US campaigning starts almost as soon as the preceding election finishes. The procedure does not however get into full swing until a little over a year before the Presidential election. After candidates have put themselves forward as a presidential candidate there then follows several weeks of Live television debates before voters are given their chance to endorse their favourite in either caucuses or primaries. Every state sets its own dates for the primaries which is the reason why the election for a presidential candidate is not held on the same day across the whole country. In addition, there are different rules governing how the votes are counted, either proportionally or as “a winner takes all” count; again depending too on which party.

It is not surprising that those outside the US glaze over as they try to understand the complicated procedures involved. Saturation coverage has been given over to the various primaries and caucuses. Wolf Blitzer’s Situation Room on CNN has given in depth coverage throughout the campaign. But the BBC and Sky News in the UK have also given much time over to the ongoing voting process. But besides the in depth coverage, lists of statistics, points of view, charts and diagrams, to many people it is as clear as mud.

The election has revolved around many issues, but it is the economy and the war in Iraq that are the most important in the minds of many Americans. More superficially there is the subject of race, age and gender as the first black contender battles against the first female presidential hopeful on the Democratic side whilst the oldest candidate leads in the polls for the Republicans.

CNN conducted interviews on the streets of Harlem in New York where it found many black Americans torn between Clinton and Obama. Overall many polls show the two candidates neck and neck, but polls have been wrong before [Maps and in depth coverage - BBC / Sky News / CNN].

The final words come from Jon Stewart as he returned to CNN International’s weekly slot of the Daily Show, which had been dropped from schedules for several weeks due to the writers strike. That dispute is still ongoing, but the Daily Show Global Edition has returned nonetheless. The programme broadcast on CNNi, made up of a series of clips from the weeks output in the US, started this week with coverage of the last State of the Union address by the 43rd US President, George W Bush. The satirical show picked up first on Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush’s similar attire. Both were wearing bright red dresses. His outgoing, but little talked about address, was summed up by Jon Stewart as being a “weird, ugly, utterly subdued, insincere State of the Union”. Moving onto the election, which on the Daily Show was dubbed “Indecision 2008”, the discussion hinged around Edwards’ failure to put his backing behind either of the remaining Democratic contenders before making light of Rudy Giuliani’s failed campaign. “He put all of his eggs in the Florida basket” a TV news clip said, “and now they are beginning to crack”. Jon Stewart quipped in, “I guess the yolk’s on Giuliani, whose dreams have been poached by other eggstrordinary candidates”. The audience groaned as Stewart adds his “career was now scrambled”. If your mind hasn’t yet been scrambled by the incessant coverage of the US election there will be further coverage to numb your mind on all the major networks tonight.

UK - MP bugging row escalates

Bugged: Sadiq Kahn and Babar Ahmed

A major row is building between Conservative and Labour politicians after it emerged that an MP was bugged by the British police [BBC]. Sadiq Kahn was under surveillance during a visit to a terror suspect Babar Ahmed. The bugging took place before Mr Kahn became an MP, but continued after he took office. The operation effectively breaks rules on bugging MPs which are outlined in the Wilson Doctrine. The Conservative Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis said the issue made a “liar” of Prime Minister Gordon Brown. But his accusation has drawn strong criticism from Harriet Harman who has called on him to apologize. The BBC has learnt that Justice Secretary Jack Straw and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith had not been aware until the Sunday Times reports emerged this weekend. Mr Davis told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that it was apparent that Mr Straw and Ms Smith were "not in charge of their departments". Amidst all of this the police officer in charge of the bugging operation said he was fearful of his life after his name was leaked to the media. Mark Kearney said he had been under “significant pressure” from senior officers to continue the surveillance despite informing them that the target was now a Member of Parliament [BBC].

Africa in crisis

Many African states are in turmoil with violence and civil war

Chad remains in crisis after violence broke out in the capital N'Djamena. Rebels launched a major assault and have seized control of large parts of the city. The crisis could have major implications for attempts to end the conflict in neighbouring Darfur, since Sudan's government is accused of backing the rebels in Chad. The rebels are an alliance of three groups – the UFDD (United Force for Democracy and Development), which is led by Mahamat Nouri, the RFC (Rally of Forces for Change), led by Timane Erdimi, President Deby's former chief of staff, and the UFDD-Fondamentale, a splinter group of UFDD, currently headed by Abdelwahid Aboud. Thousands have fled the capital in the past few days as rebels and government troops continue to fight pitched battles on the streets [BBC]. The crisis in Chad will add to the continuing crisis which persists in the Darfur region of Sudan which borders Chad.

Meanwhile the situation in Kenya is continuing to worsen with rival gangs battling each other. At least 20 died in fresh violence on Saturday and peace talks have failed to end the animosity between rival gangs [BBC]. The current crisis followed an election in the country which was widely criticized for being rigged.

Zimbabwe is the next African state to see elections which are set for March. It is a country where inflation is above 26,000%, the highest in the world, and where less than one in five has a job. Simba Makoni, seen as a moderate politician, has put himself forward as a contender for the upcoming election, but he will have a tough fight in a country where Mugabe’s opponents are often silenced, sometimes violently [BBC].

In Rwanda the search for survivors of a natural disaster continued throughout the weekend [BBC]. Two powerful earthquakes measuring 5 and 6 on the Richter scale hit the Great Lakes area of the country killing 40 and injuring more than 300 [BBC]. The lack of stability in many African states is of great concern for many multi-national companies who invest heavily in the continent.

Attacks and kidnappings are common in oil rich states including Nigeria where attacks have increased sharply over the last few months. Threats to oil workers and facilities in Nigeria have cast a long-term shadow over oil supplies from the world's eighth largest oil exporter. Suspected militant attacks on January 2nd in Nigeria's main oil city, Port Harcourt, heightened concern over the potential for further disruptions in shipments. "With the military and the militant warlords engaged in a violent tit-for-tat, the risk for oil disruptions in Nigeria remains higher than in the past few months," said Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix.

In other African states peace agreements are having little effect on the ground. Congo still remains on the brink of more violence [BBC] besides attempts to broker a peace deal between rebels and the government. Ian Smith [Obituary], former Prime Minister of Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe], was often criticized for saying the black population were unable to run their own affairs. He was once quoted as saying, “I do not believe in black majority rule…not in a thousand years”. Besides having made some moves forward since the end of colonialism, much of Africa has descended into chaos and inter-tribal fighting. Smith is indelibly cast in the image of the arch white racist. But black Zimbabweans after independence admired him for his unbending, blunt criticism of President Robert Mugabe — giving voice to opinions that they dared not utter. As economic decay set in, Mugabe would be haunted by the words of fellow blacks, “It was better under Smith.” The indiginous population of Africa must prove the protagonists of Smith, and others like him wrong. They must build for a safe and secure future, not only for Africa but also for the pride of the black population as a whole.

UK - Five jailed for helping 21/7 plotters

L-R from top: Siraj Ali, Muhedin Ali, Ismail Abdurahman, Wahbi Mohammed & Abdul Sherif

Five men who aided would-be suicide bombers who had tried to attack London’s transport system in 2005 have been jailed. Muhedin Ali, 29, Wahbi Mohammed, 25, Ismail Abdurahman, 25, Siraj Ali, 32, and Abdul Sherif, 30, all from London, were given between seven and 17 years. Muktar Ibrahim, Yassin Omar, Ramzi Mohammed and Hussein Osman were all jailed for life last year over their attempted attacks which came less than two weeks after suicide bomb attcks left 50 dead in July 2005. The five men jailed yesterday had helped provide safe houses and food to the failed bombers [BBC].

Israel - return of the suicide bombers

Israeli policeman, Kobe Mor, shoots the suicide bomber dead

Israel has seen its first suicide bombing in months killing one Israeli and injuring nine others [BBC]. The attack took place in the southern Israeli town of Dimona at a shopping centre. The first bomber detonated his explosives whilst in a queue, but a second suicide attack was thwarted after another man wearing a suicide belt was injured and left semi-conscious on the ground. He was later dispatched by an Israeli police officer, Kobe Mor, who gave an account of the incident to Israeli television. “I took my gun and fired about five shots into his head” the policeman said. The bombers aged 24 and 21, one of them a member of the Al Aqsa Martyr Brigades which is loosely affiliated with the Palestinian authority led by Mahmoud Abbas. The other bomber was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The Palestinian authority has repudiated the bombing but said it was as a result of Israeli attacks within Palestinian territories in recent weeks and the closing of borders. Hamas have since claimed responsibility for the bombing but deny their bombers made it through via recently breached borders with Egypt. Besides Hamas having claimed responsibility, Abu Walid, of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, also made a statement saying his group had carried out the attack. Nonetheless the Israeli authorise remain on high alert with further attacks likely as some militants may have used the border breach as a way of crossing into Israel. Amongst Palestinians there are mixed feelings about the bombing. Some hail the bombers as heroes, but there are reservations amongst some Palestinians concerned about what retribution Israel may carry out. One resident of Gaza told Al Jazeera “We were waiting for things to get better, but this operation will only lead to more pressure on ordinary people.” Already Israeli troops have taken action against Hamas militants with at least two killed [Al Jazeera]. And in the last hour Israel has launched airstrikes in Gaza killing 5 and injuring seven others.

China crisis - clear up begins

CNN's Dan Rivers in Shaoshan in front of a collapsed car plant

The crowds of travellers are beginning to dwindle in China as major parts of the transport network begin to flow. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and police have helped clear roads, railway lines and re-establish power. CNN’s Dan Rivers travelled with some of the travellers hoping to return to their families for the Lunar New Year and described the cramped and crowded conditions on the train from Guangzhou. There were arguments between passengers over seats, confrontations with guards and further frustrations as the train stopped for hours apparently going nowhere. After 27 hours the train arrived at its destination, a journey that should have taken a little over 12 hours. For some the journey was still not over as they boarded a connecting route to their home town. Back at Guangzhou the crowds are still evident, but have eased significantly over the weekend. Many workers have given up trying to get home and return to their factory dormitories. The crowds that remain are now heavily controlled by large numbers of police to prevent the scenes seen last week in which at least one woman died in crushes and stampedes. On Friday, a woman called Li Hongxia fell before the rushing crowd. She had been trampled by people powerless to avoid her and died the next day in hospital. Li worked in a watch factory in Guandong and was trying to get home to Hubei province [CNN]. Hugh Riminton [blog] filed a Live report from the station and spoke of being harassed by the police when trying to set up to broadcast, something that Dan Rivers had also experienced 48 hours earlier prior to catching a train. Others who had travelled by train spoke of far longer journeys and of fights breaking out [CNN]. There has been no update with regards the progress made by Andrew Stevens who was on the road from Nanjing to Hefei. On Friday he had only travelled only 48km [30 miles] in 18 hours with more than 160km [100 miles] in front of him. But there have been no reports from this correspondent throughout the rest of his journey, so he like many thousands may still be stuck on the road.

There was some relief as rain began to fall in some areas melting the snow. But the cold weather is likely to make travel difficult in parts of central and eastern China for some days to come. Some areas are still without power and water and the destruction left in the wake of the bad weather will take weeks to put right. Thousands of buildings have been destroyed after the weight of snow brought down homes and factories. In Shaoshan, Mao Zedong’s hometown in Hunan province, snow on this scale has not been seen since the 1950s. One resident told Dan Rivers said the last time he saw weather as bad as this was 1952. The coming New Year celebrations will certainly be remembered this year. But the authorities would perhaps prefer the crisis was forgotten.

China - Crushes at stations as frustration mounts

Guangzhou: an unconscious woman is carried to safety by police

Frustration has led to frightening crushes as waiting passengers surge to board trains in some towns in China. Today CNN showed disturbing pictures at Guangzhou station where hundreds of passengers surged towards a closed entrance with the belief it was open. Dozens were crushed and police were seen carrying away victims in pictures shot by Hong Kong Cable TV. Last night CCTV-9 discussed differences on the reporting of Western media with Chinese media. One point brought up was that Chinese media was generally upbeat and positive while CNN was deemed to be critical. It is true that CNN could be seen as critical, but has made attempt to show all sides of the story. It is a human interest story, and yesterday Hugh Riminton travelled with one young migrant worker to get a personal perspective of the problems they are facing. Andrew Stevens on the road in Anhui province gave a report last night Live via satellite in which he described the terrible conditions faced by drivers. The CNN team had travelled less than 30 miles in a little over 18 hours averaging 1.7 miles per hour. With 100 miles in front of them to Hefei they faced a potential journey time of at least 2 days [CNN]. Many people only had half a tank of fuel and very little food so the problems faced by many travellers were likely to increase as time went on. Today he spoke by phone and said he was unable to provide much information since he was very isolated and had not moved much further along the road. Some towns have been without power for several days and food was said to be in short supply in many rural areas. Chenzhou in Hunan province has had no electricity for 8 days and supplies are running low throughout the city according to local reports. With coal running out at power stations the government has even ordered ships exporting the valuable fuel to return to port. This has caused speculation that the current weather crisis may affect world markets. The continuing bad weather has already cost the Chinese economy an estimated $7.2 billion [CNN / BBC]. Besides offering a critical overview of events in China, CNN has at least provides in depth coverage of this important story. The BBC and Sky have barely touched on the story with only a few seconds reporting given to the ongoing situation. Today Sky News coverage extended only to a 20 second item while the BBC showed nothing in its midday news.

Iraq - 50 killed in market blasts

Iraq is once again in the spotlight after two suicide blasts killed at least 50 at a Baghdad market. The blast comes as Iraq is being widely discussed amongst contenders for the upcoming presidential election. Last night Hillary Clinton was defending her position on voting for military action against Saddam Hussein prior to the 2003 invasion. “Knowing he was a meglamaniac..I think we made a reasoned judgement”, she said. Barak Obama retorted that it was “important to be right on day one”. He conceded the “terrorist threat is real and we shouldn’t send troops in without rational” referring to the fact that the US only has a finite number of resources. Both Democratic candidates support a withdrawal of US troops from Iraq with Clinton saying she would initiate a pull-out within 60 days. John McCain, the main contender for the Republican Party, has in the meantime talked of maintaining a presence for up to 100 years.

On the streets of Iraq, the population care little for the discussions, only the hope that the violence will stop. Today’s bomb attacks were perpetrated by two female suicide bombers according to reports and killed up to 53 people and injured more than 90 others [CNN]. The blasts came half an hour apart with one striking a popular animal market where dogs, cats and monkeys are sold. The animal market has been attacked several times in the past. A bombing in January 2007 killed 15 and wounded 52 at the pet market, while an attack last November killed 13 and wounded 58 [Sky News / BBC]

China's winter freeze affects food prices

Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers remain stuck at airports and stations across China amid worsening winter weather. Many roads too remain blocked despite the best efforts of authorities to clear routes. For the millions that are attempting to make their way home to their families it is the only chance many get after a year of working away from their loved ones. The migrant workers go to where employment is available and they can work seven days a week for as little as $4 per day. The disappointment in not being to make the journey home will be too much to bear for those who have queued for days in freezing temperatures. Although there has been some relief as trains begin to take people home, the government has appealed to the population to cancel their travel plans [CNN]. But it is a difficult decision for those who will have to wait another year before they can return home. The more well off Chinese residents may have a better chance of making the journey home as they are able to afford the air fares. But others can only afford the long train or bus journey. And with more snow forecast the prospects do not look good for the millions trying to make it home for the Lunar New Year celebrations. Whether they make it home or not, all will face higher food prices [BBC]. Communist Party official Chen Xiwen warned of a serious impact on crop production in the south of the country saying "The impact on fresh vegetables and on fruit in some places has been catastrophic".

Heavy snow is also affecting parts of the United States and Israel also saw an extremely unusual sight after snow covered much of Jerusalem [BBC]. Britain has also been hit by bad weather, but most of the snow has been confined to the north of the country [BBC]. Even Baghdad saw snowfall earlier this month, a phenomena not seen in over 50 years [BBC]. The wild and cold weather sweeping the globe [BBC] will no doubt be claimed by environmentalist as being another sign of climate change. But its far from the global warming that has been predicted; more of a global freeze!

Internet outages hit Asia and Middle East

Internet outages across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia have brought markets and businesses to a halt. Many companies are reliant on the World Wide Web and little business can be done without it. One major telecommunications provider blamed the outage, which started Wednesday, on a major undersea cable failure in the Mediterranean. India's Internet bandwidth was reduced by half forcing industry to reroute traffic to satellites and other cables through Asia. Reports say that Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain are also experiencing severe problems. But some countries were spared the chaos. Israel, Lebanon and Iraq were still able to maintain connection as many Middle East governments have backup satellite systems in case of cable failure. There are conflicting reports over what caused the failure and it is unclear when services will be restored [CNN / BBC]. It is not the first time that internet outages have been disrupted by undersea cable problems. In 2001 China was cut off for weeks after cable connections were cut. Two years later in 2003 cable problems between the US and Britain created widespread disruption to the internet [Zdnet] and in 2006 an earthquake severed cables in Asia [tvnewswatch].

Poison fear over Chinese dumplings

In Japan this week, dumplings imported from China have been recalled after they were found to contain deadly pesticides. It leaves China once again on the defensive after yet further worries over product safety. Japan currently tests around 10% of all food imports from China, twice that of those tested in the US, but it was only after people began falling sick that the product recall was announced. The company behind the manufacture of the dumplings has been named as Hebei Foodstuffs Import & Export Group. Chinese authorities said Thursday they were investigating the company that made insecticide-tainted dumplings which have made at least 10 people ill in Japan [China Post]. But China has defended its latest product to come under fire saying there were no traces of chemicals in the product. According to the China Post the product showed no traces of anything that might have caused the illnesses but further investigations would continue. In 2004, the company had to recall a batch of its meat products from Japan after the discovery of excessive amounts of escherichiacoli, which can cause diarrhea. But the company said that could have been caused by problems in storage or transportation [CNN / BBC]

China - more deaths as weather worsens

Trains, planes and automobiles have all been affected by heavy snow

The worst winter storm to hit China in 50 years has killed at least 50 people and more than 78 million have been affected. CCTV-9 reported only 38 killed by the bad weather, but other news reports put the death toll as high as 50. Yesterday 25 were killed when a bus plunged off an icy road near Guizhou. Premier Wen Jiabao has visited Guangzhou in Guangdong province where thousands of migrant workers, desperate to get home for the spring festival, have been stranded for several days. “I’m here to see you”, he said, “everyday more rail lines are opening and we are doing everything we can to get everyone home for the New Year celebrations”. He told reporters it was a priority to get the stranded passengers moving [Xinhua News]. He also visited power stations to see what was being done to restore power to vast regions cut off for several days. Half of Guizhou province is without electricity, though some power has been restored according to Zhang Lu of CCTV9 speaking from the capital Guiyang. The restoration of power has come at a price. Three electricians were killed yesterday after the pylon on which they were working collapsed in Hunan province. Two others had died the previous day.

Thousands of passengers remain stuck at stations attempting to travel between Guangzhou and Beijing. According to CCTV-9 some trains had departed and alleviated some of the backlog. But 24 hours after the Chinese Premier spoke to crowds CNN’s Hugh Rimington, who was reporting from Guangzhou Station, said no trains had left and up to half a million were still waiting for the non existent transport. There was anger with one traveller telling CNN that the govt had no credibility. “Officials can go home but we workers are stuck” said one irate traveller. “I feel helpless” said another passenger while others talked of having spent all their money while waiting for a train back home. As scuffles broke out some were trampled under foot, but there were no serious injuries according to reports.

Hunan province is particularly hard hit with roads impassable. One traveller said fuel and oil had run out in many places and stranded motorists were being given water and biscuits by police. Some had been stuck on the roads for 7 days and the problems have affected delivery of food supplies. A total of 17 provinces have been affected and many people Red Cross Society of China is calling for donations in order to help fund thousands that have been cut off by the bad weather. The financial losses are estimated to have cost the country in excess of ¥32 billion [$3 billion]. Across the country official figures put the numbers of people stranded at 178.6 million and have deployed half a million troops to help in clearing roads and rail lines [BBC].

China: Snow kills 24 & strands thousands

Snow in Suzhou, near Shanghai in southern China

At least 20 people have died in China as severe winter weather swept across the vast continent. There is also widespread travel chaos in the run up to the Lunar New Year. Millions of people are trying to return home for the Chinese New Year but thousands have been stuck at railway stations and airports. At least 170,000 people have been stuck at Guangzhou railway station, in the southern Guangdong province, where most trains have been cancelled. Others have been stranded because of blocked roads and some areas are reported to have run out of salt to spread on icy surfaces. Xinhua News reported that 24 people had died since the 10th of January and that nearly 80 million had been affected in 14 provinces including Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hunan. Among the deaths, 10 were killed in collapses of homes weighed down by the snow and another 10 died after falling on slippery roads. Two people drowned and two were hit by falling trees laden with heavy snow.

The heavy snow has also destroyed crops, affecting more than 4.2 million hectares of farmland. According to official sources, about 107,000 houses have collapsed and nearly 400,000 others had been damaged by the heavy snow. Direct economic losses are estimated at ¥ 22.09 billion [$3 billion]. The bad weather is also being blamed for some of the losses seen on the Shanghai composite which saw a 7% drop today [CNN / Xinhua News / BBC]

Egypt fails to halt Palestinian influx

Egypt is struggling to put an end to the border incursions by Palestinians desperate to obtain supplies after Israel closed borders and effectively cut off Gaza from the outside world a week ago. The UN had already warned of a humanitarian crisis after electricity supplies faded after fuel dried up in the region. Frustrations amongst the Palestinian people boiled over on Wednesday with many attempting to break across borders with Egypt in order to obtain fuel and food supplies [BBC]. Initially the attempts were repelled by border guards but the walls were breached with explosives and later with bulldozers. Today the trouble boiled over as Egyptian police and army attempted to stop the crowds spilling across the border [CNN]. Many came under fire not only from stones and rocks, but according to some reports, from gunfire. The efforts to hold the Palestinians back failed as militants merely punched a hole in another part of the border with mechanical diggers [BBC]. Egypt has said it would not force the Palestinians back across the border. But as tens of thousands have breached the borders the government’s patience is wearing thin. Israeli PM Ehud Olmert has said he would not let a humanitarian crisis develop. "We will not hit food supplies for children or medicines for the needy," he said "But there is no justification for demanding we allow residents of Gaza to live normal lives while shells and rockets are fired from their streets and courtyards at Sderot and other communities in the south." [BBC]. But President Hosni Mubarak said on Egyptian television, "We are doing our best to help end the Palestinians' suffering, to help end the Israeli measures of mass punishment and to return fuel, electricity supplies and humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip" [BBC].

Weather chaos in northern England

One of at least 11 lorries overturned in Yorkshire.

High winds have caused chaos across northern England, overturning lorries, downing trees and damaging buildings. A building in Wearside belonging to Northern Rock, the bank recently hit by financial troubles, had its roof ripped off. No-one was injured in that incident. On the A1 several lorries overturned causing widespread disruption [Halifax Courier]. Most of the vehicles affected were traveling through Yorkshire. One vehicle also crashed into the central reservation which police say was also weather related. Meanwhile the A66 was also closed by authorities to high sided vehicles due to the continuing high winds [BBC].

Rogue trader causes concern on markets

Jerome Kerviel who lost €4.9 billion for Societe Generale

A rogue trader in France has caused concern in European financial markets with some believing he may have contributed to the recent financial turmoil [BBC]. Jerome Kerviel lost at least €4.9 billion [$7.1 bn / £3.7 bn] at the French bank Societe Generale. French President Nicolas Sarkozy called the events at Societe Generale a "large-scale internal fraud", but added that the losses "do not affect the solidity and reliability of the French system". Speaking during a visit to India, he said the turmoil on world markets was more to do with problems in the US and particularly with the so called sub-prime market. But some fear the fraud may leave the bank open to a possible takeover. "Societe Generale will certainly lose its independence after such an operation. We will... have a redefinition of the banking world and France will be no exception," Alain Crouzat at Montsegur Finance told Le Parisien newspaper.
The CAC 40 certainly felt the biggest losses today dropping some 37 points to 4878.1. The Dax and FTSE also saw losses today but not to the extent seen earlier this week. The Dax closed at 6816.7, down 4.33 points, and the FTSE 100 closed 6.8 points down to 5869.0

A turbulent week in British politics

Peter Hain announces his resignation yesterday

The UK government has been the subject of a number of criticisms this week culminating in the resignation of Peter Hain, the Work & Pensions Secretary [BBC]. The week started with the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith saying she was scared to walk the streets of London at night by herself. The papers made much of her off the cuff comments which appeared to contradict government statements that the streets of Britain were safe. “You don’t walk in areas that you don’t know in any circumstances, and I never have in my life,” she said on Sunday [BBC].

Then came the continuing fiasco over Northern Rock. “The Prime Minister won’t tell us how much tax payers are in for, or how long they’re going to have to wait to get their money back. He’s like a used car salesman who won’t tell you the price, won’t tell you the mileage, won’t give you a warranty, he’s gone from prudence to Del Boy without even touching the ground” said David Cameron in Parliament this week. His joke backfired with some pointing out that Del Boy, a character in the popular BBC comedy Only Fools & Horse, was not a used car salesman [BBC]. The new Lib Dem leader accused the Prime Minister of being “running scared of the Conservative Party” over his decision not to nationalize the beleaguered financial institution [BBC].

Hardly a week goes by without further revelations that more sensitive data has gone missing. And this week was no exception. Defence Secretary Des Brown told Parliament that not one but three laptop computers belonging to the MoD had been stolen. Amongst the information contained were the names of 150,000 applicants who had expressed interest to join Britain’s armed forces [BBC].

Peter Hain had resigned only after police were called in to investigate the matter of undeclared funding of his bid for Deputy Leader. Although welcomed by the opposition many said it should have happened sooner. David Cameron said it was right that Peter Hain had resigned but the Prime Minister should have made an ultimatum much earlier. The opposition leader said, “The Prime Minister should have said to him weeks ago, either give a full explanation of what has happened or you have to leave the cabinet”. But the Prime Minister speaking at Davos has denied he dithered over a decision to sack Peter Hain [BBC].

The continuing problems which are haunting the Labour government have begun to affect Gordon Brown’s credibility as a Prime Minister. Speaking on This Week, the BBC political weekly, Gerry Robinson said what made Mr Brown a good chancellor did not necessarily make him a good Prime Minister and that he lacked leadership qualities. His skills as a Chancellor may not be proving their worth as the markets took a battering this week. Besides some gains since Monday’s £84 billion being wiped off the FTSE 100, it has been a turbulent week at the stock exchange.

Smoking ban hits Weatherspoon profits

Smoking bans exist across much of Europe

The smoking ban implemented in the UK in July 2007 has continued to affect takings in Britain’s pubs. JD Weatherspoon is the latest to say they’ve seen a drop in profits besides having earlier claimed the ban was unlikely to affect trade. Wetherspoon said that it remained confident that the smoking ban would benefit the pub trade in the long-term, but "the short-term effect of a decline in bar sales means that we continue to remain cautious regarding the outlook for this financial year".
Over the last 4 months the pub chain, which has 683 outlets, saw a 3.2% drop in sales compared to the same period the previous year [BBC]. Last October the company said the first four months of the ban had only seen a 1% drop in sales [BBC].

The loss in profits isn’t exclusive to the UK. Bars in France are already seeing their custom fall following the ban which came into force on 1st January. And in Beijing where authorities are attempting to impose a limited ban by the time of the Olympics there are signs of how unwelcome a ban there would be [Guardian]. The China Daily this week reported that after a smoking ban was enforced at one restaurant chain trade dropped dramatically. Sales fell by 20% at the Meizhou Dongpo, Beijing’s first smoke-free restaurant. China has over 350 million smokers, mostly men, accounting for a quarter of the entire population.
Germany is the latest to see a smoking ban. But it hasn’t come without a fight from Germany’s smokers who account for over a third of the population. Berlin has seen the country’s first ‘smoking rage’ victim and there is widespread flouting of the new laws. The smoking bans are often cited as being implemented by ‘health fascists’, but in Germany this is more than a little closer to home. Sixty seven years ago the Nazis implemented a ban on smoking in Germany. Even some of the most advanced research into the links between tobacco consumption and lung cancer was carried out under the Nazis.
Under the supervision of the Institute for Tobacco Hazards Research, the ban was imposed in every public building and public space, including air-raid shelters, with Hitler even personally intervening in 1944 to ensure it was extended to trains and buses in order to protect young female conductors. It was even pointed out that Hitler, Mussolini and Franco were all non-smokers, while the 'evil enemies' - Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin - all enjoyed a tobacco fix [Guardian].

While many Germans are forced out into the cold, others are crossing the border to Poland where a ban on smoking is yet to be made law. In the London Pub in Slubice, across the river from Frankfurt an der Oder, a group of middle-aged Germans are swigging and puffing to their hearts' content. 'It's just like in the old days,' says Dieter Neubauer, who strolled over the border after work.
Turkey has recently passed new anti-smoking laws [BBC] but there is much opposition with 40% of the population being smokers. The trend is likely to continue leaving many more smokers in the cold or remaining at home [Smoke bans worldwide / Smoking bans by country / European bans].

Global slide in stocks, FTSE falls by 5.5%

Global stock markets have tumbled amid growing fears of a recession in the US [BBC / Sky News / CNN]. London's FTSE 100 index fell 5.48% to 5,578.2 by the close today. In Paris the Cac-40 fell 6.83%, and Frankfurt's Dax dropped 7.16%. US markets are closed for Martin Luther King Day so any recovery will not be seen until tomorrow at the earliest. The drop in share values has been partially blamed on the US President's failure to control the downturn in the economy there with investors taking little comfort from emergency measures proposed by President George W Bush on Friday [CNN].

Meanwhile new proposals by the UK government to keep the beleaguered Northern Rock bank in the public sector and sell the business to a new owner. Questions in parliament were dismissive of the government proposal. The Chancellor Alistair Darling has said that the government may take temporary ownership if a buyer could not be found [BBC / Sky News]. In a statement in the UK parliament, the Chancellor said he was to convert Northern Rock's £25bn Bank of England loan into bonds before selling them to investors. The bonds would be guaranteed by the government to speed up a private sale of the troubled lender. One of the potential bidders is Sir Richard Branson who told Sky News that he had put a good bid forward. He said he had not had any detailed discussions with the Prime Minister but added that he had a “winnable package”. Part of his plan would be to re-label the financial business Virgin Bank.

Wen Brown met Hu

Gordon Brown on his first visit to China as Prime Minister has covered a wide range of topics in talks with Chinese officials. But as many UK broadcasters are keen to point out, human rights is not one of them. Sky’s report referred to 2008 as the Year of China as the British PM was welcomed by Premier Wen. Sky News concentrated not so much on the discussions of business and trade but instead focused on China’s clampdown of pro-democracy campaigners.

In a bulletin shown today Sky talked to Guo Quan of the New Democratic Party who spoke of the need for political change in China. They also talked to a former party official, Bao Tong, who has been under house arrest since the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. He told Sky News that there was no freedom of speech, no freedom of the press and no freedom to vote in China.

Mr Brown said he welcomed the decision to allow western journalists into China and to travel freely but said human rights would be in a dialogue later this month. He came with businessmen and academics, according to Sky News, and will focus on the environment and expanding trade. Human rights and politics were, according to Adam Boulton, speaking Live from Beijing, likely to take a back seat.

Channel Four News reported that Britain has lagged behind other European countries in securing contract with China. “We want Britain to be the number one country of choice for investment” Gordon Brown said. The report talked of the upcoming Olympic Games saying that it was the most contentious games since the Russian Olympics in 1980.

The BBC has had sporadic coverage of Gordon Brown’s China visit. They did however conduct an interview with the Prime Minister who told the BBC trade was not just “one way” and predicted economic growth from the bilateral ties [video]. He said there would be a 50% increase in trade. He added that he was relaxed about joint ownership. But he tempered this with a trade off of selling technology to the developing country. He said China had to make a step forward with regards to climate change and added that Premier Wen recognized the issues at hand.
CCTV-9’s coverage has so far been the most extensive of all the news broadcasters. China Today spent nearly twenty minutes on the Prime Ministerial visit. Mr Brown has so far met with Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo and Wen Jiabao. In discussions he has talked about stronger financial ties between the two countries.

Hu Jintao has said he appreciates “Britain’s adherence to the one China policy, its support of China’s efforts of peaceful reunification and its opposition of Taiwan’s bid for UN membership”. According to the extensive coverage, Gordon Brown said he welcomed Chinese companies to invest in the UK and hoped the two countries could cooperate more closely on regional and international issues and contribute to world peace.

After a welcoming ceremony in the Great Hall of the People on Friday morning, Premier Wen Jiabao sat down to discuss business issues with the British PM. “We have established a very good work and personal relationship”, Premier Wen said. “Through our joint efforts Sino-British has entered a new stage of comprehensive development” the Premier added. The two countries have signed 8 documents of trade and investment, education, energy and the environment, climate change and cooperation for the Olympics.

Prime Minister Brown talked about what he saw as the key issues. “I believe that by 2010, we will see 100 new Chinese companies investing in the United Kingdom, we will see 100 partnerships between our higher education institutes and universities and Chinese universities, we will double the number of firms listing on the London Stock Exchange and thousands of jobs will be created as a result of inward investment into Britain and trade between our two countries and we welcome the creation of the sovereign wealth fund and its potential for investing in our country” he said. Speaking at another meeting Gordon Brown said he saw China’s development “not as a threat but an opportunity”. He said China was a vast potential market for British companies.

The Prime Minister later visited Renmin University and watched a table tennis match. Whether the British leader is batting for Britain will be something that businesses at home will be looking at closely.

Capt Burkill praises crew of crashed jet

The captain of flight BA-38 which crash landed at Heathrow yesterday paid tribute to his crew for excellent teamwork. Capt. Peter Burkill said his co-pilot, John Coward, was at the controls at the time of the incident. He also thanked the passengers for their calmness in a difficult and unfamiliar situation. He wished everyone who received injuries a speedy recovery. He did not talk about what happened in the last minutes of the flight saying that the crash was now a matter of investigation by the AAIB [BBC].

Those investigations may well focus on the electronic systems on the plane. Some reports suggest a major power failure just prior to the crash. The Boeing 777 has a relatively good safety record. However it has only been in service for 14 years. There have been some incidents with the Boeing 777 but no fatalities have yet resulted. Perhaps the most concerning incident was in 2005 when there were conflicting displays of information displayed in the cockpit. The results of the investigation into that incident have yet to be completed [airlinesafety.com but preliminary report does raise concerns.

On August 1, 2005, a Boeing 777-200, which had departed from Perth, received an EICAS (Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System) warning of low airspeed, as the plane was climbing through FL (flight level) 380. Simultaneously, the aircraft’s slip/skid indication moved full right, on the PFD (Primary Flight Display). The PFD speed tape also displayed contradictory information: that the plane was approaching both the high speed limit and the low speed (stall) limit. The aircraft, still connected to the autopilot, pitched up and climbed to approximately FL410 as the airspeed decreased from 270 kts to 158 kts. The stall warning devices also activated.
The PIC (pilot in command) "disconnected the autopilot and lowered the nose of the aircraft. The autothrottle commanded an increase in thrust which the PIC countered by manually moving the thrust levers to the idle position. The aircraft pitched up again and climbed 2,000 ft." The PIC advised ATC "that they could not maintain altitude and requested a descent and radar assistance. The crew was able to verify with ATC the aircraft speed and altitude."
The PFD indications became accurate again as they were descending through FL200. The PIC attempted to use both the left and right autopilots, but had to turn them off after each one produced undesired command responses. "There were no control difficulties experienced when the aircraft was flown manually, but the autothrottle `arm’ switches remained in the `armed’ position." [PDF].

The Boeing 777-236ER involved in Thursday’s incident has not had any previous problems itself. But investigators will also be looking at the Rolls Royce engines.

Heathrow plane crash - 13 minor injuries

A major catastrophe was averted today when flight BA-38 from Beijing crash landed at Heathrow Airport. All 152 passengers and crew evacuated from the Boeing 777 safely after the plane came to a halt at the beginning of runway 27 Left. According to eyewitnesses the aircraft flew in very low “dropping like a stone” as it crash landed just short of the runway at around 12:42 GMT. Witnesses described it skidding along the grass with wheels and debris flying in all directions. Within seconds of it having come to a halt, passengers were evacuated from the plane via emergency chutes. Airport fire services were at the scene within 2 minutes and at least 4 ambulances were dispatched to the scene. A total of 13 people received minor injuries and were taken to Hillingdon Hospital. Three are said to be Chinese nationals, seven are British and another three are of unknown origin. Latest reports suggest that the Boeing 777 suffered a major power failure just prior to the crash [BBC / Sky News / CNN]

Heathrow closed after incident

a mobile-phone image of the stricken aircraft


A British Airways plane has made an emergency landing at Heathrow and has resulted in major delays. Three people were slightly injured in the incident which occurred as BA flight 38 from Beijing came into land. Adam Boulton, Sky's correspondent, gave a live report from a plane carrying the British PM Gordon Brown who was due to take off for Beijing. The incident happened at 12:42 this afternoon and resulted in damage to the undercarraige. All passengers were safely evacuated.

Oil price drops but pump price still high

In the US, the price of fuel per US gallon averages about $3.00, but can reach as high as $3.30 [EIA]. In the UK motorists have faced high prices for years. But Britain has seen a dramatic increase in prices in recent weeks. The average price for unleaded fuel stands at £1.05.9 with diesel as high as £1.10.9 a litre. At a glance it is clear the US pay far less at the pump for fuel. However after conversion the disparity in pricing is even more apparent. A US gallon is equivalent to 3.8 litres [a standard UK gallon is more at 4.5 litres]. So a litre of fuel in the US is a little over $0.86 or £0.44 [£1=$1.96 16/01/2007]. If the US were paying the same as UK motorists the price at the forecourt would be $7.88 [£4.02 per US gallon]. Canadian motorists pay only a little more than their US counterparts with fuel averaging at £0.55 per litre. Half way round the world in China and motorists are paying about ¥3.80 per litre. This is about £0.25 or $0.12. Local economic issues are obviously one reason behind such disparity in fuel prices. The average Chinese worker earns much less than a US citizen. A wage of ¥2000 per month [£133 / $260] would be considered good in China’s building economy. So in some terms petrol is considerably higher in China than in the West, compared to an individuals spending power. But with the cost of living increasing, and with wages remaining static, this balance is shifting.

George Bush’s concern at the ever increasing price of oil prompted him to ask leaders of OPEC to do something [BBC]. Talking at a meeting with Saudi businessmen President Bush said, “High energy prices can affect economic growth because it's painful for our consumers... [and] could cause the US economy to slow down". He added: "I would hope that as Opec considers different production levels that they understand that if... one of the biggest consumers' economy suffers it means less purchases, less oil and gas sold."
Barely had the President spoken than fresh concerns shook the oil market with prices plummeting to $90 per barrel. The worry is that a possible US recession may result in an economic downturn and reduce demand for crude [BBC]. A number of analysts and oil industry experts have said that recent increases in price are down to speculative buying and geo-political fears rather than a shortage of crude. The International Energy Agency said in its monthly report on Wednesday that demand for crude oil in 2008 will be 87.8m barrel per day, which represents a 2.3% rise from 2007 levels and is slightly lower than previous estimates. It said that rising demand in China, falling oil stocks, and tensions in the oil-rich Middle East and Nigeria remain "important supportive factors" for oil prices. Opec is due to meet on 1 February to discuss output levels, and there are already some calls for production to be boosted. It is unlikely, however, that any fall in oil prices will be reflected at the pump anytime soon.

Citroën "insults the whole Chinese nation"

A scowling Mao has caused consternation in China

When Citroën published a newspaper advertisement in Spain this week they may have thought that they were only targeting a Spanish audience. But in the age of the internet and global media, news can spread beyond cultural and political borders very fast indeed. But why would they be concerned? Surely a wider audience would increase the strength of their brand. Unfortunately for Citroën this would turn out to be a public relations disaster. So what is it that has caused so much consternation and who did Citroën offend?

China’s internet forums were buzzing after the full page advertisement hit Spanish newsstands. Many were outraged and offended that the car company should use a beloved icon of Communist China in an advertisement. Chairman Mao is still an important part of many people’s history in China and so for Citroën to use him in an attempt to sell cars was insulting to many.

The full-page advert featured the famous image of Mao Zedong that adorns Tiananmen Square. But it had been altered – his face was scrunched up in a half-baffled, half-quizzical look. Below was the caption: “At Citroën, the revolution never stops.” Given how often the image of Mao has been manipulated by Chinese artists, the marketing people obviously thought it was permissible to poke a little fun. But the Chinese people have not seen the funny side. The Global Times, a paper from the People’s Daily stable that likes to stoke nationalist sentiment, said that the advert “wantonly distorted” the image of Mao [Hebnews.cn]. And no sooner than it had highlighted the issue than a firestorm of internet angst from Chinese netizens ensued [huanqiu.com].

The carmaker, which has invested heavily in China, was attempting to promote the idea that its ‘revolution’ to innovate and develop technology would continue; whilst Mao Zedong’s revolution had stopped. Under the Biblical quotation "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's," the text talked up Citroën 's position as a car sales leader in a bombastic tone. "It's true, we are leaders, but at Citroën the revolution never stops … We are once more going to put in motion all the machinery of our technological ability, in order to repeat in 2008 the successes obtained in previous years" the advertisement read.

The Global Times described the manipulated image of Mao had been “wantonly distorted” and sparked many comments from readers. "As a Chinese, I felt greatly insulted when seeing this ad," a posting on web portal Tianya said. "It is not only insulting Chairman Mao, but the whole Chinese nation." Another comment said, "Chairman Mao is the symbol of China, and what Citroën did lacks basic respect to China".

Citroën pulled the advert and sent a letter of apology to the Global Times. “Citroën highly respects China’s representative figures and symbols,” the company said in a statement. " Citroën expresses regret for any displeasure caused by the advertisement and apologizes to all who have been hurt by it”. But for many Chinese people the apology fell on deaf ears. Another forum drew criticism of Citroën and called for a boycott of the company’s products. Spain was also singled out by some readers who had thought the country had been behind the advertisement. The fallout from this may not be as far reaching as causing a drop in sales of Citroën, but the issue does serve to highlight sensitivities between different cultures and how careful one needs to be in order not to offend [Financial Times / Reuters / BBC].

20 dead in Middle East chaos

Bomb blasts and air strikes have left up to 20 dead in the Middle East today. The day started with a major incursion into Gaza by Israeli troops backed up by tanks and helicopter gunships. The violence left 17 Palestinians dead, mostly members of Hamas. But amongst the dead were at least 3 civilians according to Al-Jazeera. It was the deadliest attack by Israel this year, which has seen 46 Palestinians killed in the last 15 days. The strike by Israel was in retaliation for a series of missile attacks over recent weeks by Hamas militants.

No sooner than the attacks were over than revenge was being talked about by the militants. Already there have been a few rockets fired into Israel. The fallout from the strikes is likely to leave the peace process in tatters [CNN / BBC].

Later in the afternoon a US diplomatic car was targeted in a north Beirut suburb. The unknown assassin failed to kill the two Lebanese nationals who worked at the US Embassy according to a spokesman. However three Lebanese civilians were killed by the blast [CNN / BBC / Al-Jazeera].

Amidst the Middle East chaos Condoleezza Rice visited Iraq and declared that the situation there was improving [BBC]. The Secretary of State later flew to Saudi Arabia to join President Bush who is in the middle of a tour of the Gulf States. His focus today was on Iran as he made further comment over the country’s harassment of US warships.

Speaking tonight, Condoleezza Rice said she had discussed a number of international issues with the Saudi Foreign Minister. She spoke too of the improving situation in Iraq. “The Iraqi people are finding their way to make strides toward national reconciliation” she said. Moving on to events of the day she expressed outrage with regards the bomb attack in Lebanon. However she made no mention of the incursions by Israel into Gaza which may well destroy the Annapolis peace initiative.

Live coverage of her address was carried only by Al-Jazeera. Neither CNN, BBC 24 or Sky News showed pictures from Riyadh. In general Live coverage of Bush’s Middle East tour has been extremely poor. Only CNN showed a Live clip of Air Force One taxiing as it was about to leave the US for Israel. As he landed at Tel Aviv there was no LIVE coverage at all. Some press calls were shown. Only Sky showed his visit to Galilee Live. As he left Israel, Sky brought Live pictures as did the BBC, but only Sky showed him leaving the plane as he touched down in Kuwait. Bush was soon in the UAE and then Saudi Arabia. But apart from news bulletins there was little coverage of the last leg of the President’s trip including many of his speeches. To some extent President Sarkozy of France has drawn more media attention. He visited Saudi Arabia, without his new girlfriend, to discuss arms deals and sale of civilian nuclear technology. His comments today that even Iran should be allowed to develop peaceful nuclear power may be more of concern to President Bush. The US leader today reiterated his hostile stance against the regime saying that Iran must be confronted “before it is too late”..

China - Factory explosion kills 5

An explosion has killed at least 5 workers at a chemical plant in southern China. Two further people are missing and 33 others were injured when a blast hit the state run Yuntianhua International Chemical Industry Company in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province. Investigations have so far revealed the ignition of sulphur powder, a flammable substance with explosive vapors, caused the explosion. The factory produces sulphuric acid. The city's environment protection bureau said air quality in areas near the site of the explosion was not affected [Reuters / Xinhua].