LONDON - British opposition leader David Cameron has been reunited with his stolen bicycle thanks to a tabloid newspaper and a supporter of the rival Labour Party, the paper reported Sunday.
The Conservative party leader, often photographed riding his bike to work at the House of Commons, realized that it was stolen after he left it outside a supermarket near his west London home Wednesday evening.
The Sunday Mirror said it located the bicycle - dumped in a nearby street - with the help of 60-year-old resident Ernest Theophile, who enlisted neighborhood youths to trace it.
Theophile was identified by the paper as a staunch supporter of Britain's left-leaning Labour Party.
"You never want to see anyone have their bike nicked (stolen) - not even a Tory," he was quoted as saying.
The Conservative Party confirmed that the newspaper had returned the bike to Cameron.
Cameron, 41, is riding high in opinion polls, including one published Saturday giving his party a 22-percentage point lead over the Labour Party, which is led by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Cameron uses the 4-mile bicycle commute from his home in trendy Notting Hill to Parliament to highlight his party's commitment to green issues. But political opponents scoffed when it emerged Cameron had an official car ferry his paperwork to his office.
Cameron steered himself into more embarrassment earlier this year when The Daily Mirror published a video showing him running a red light and cycling the wrong way down a one-way street. Cameron apologized for the traffic violations.
(Agencies)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Survey: Chinese want a tough upbringing for their children
BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese children need a tough upbringing parents believe, according to an online survey released here Monday.
About 56.1 percent of the survey's 5,546 respondents believed children should not be spoilt with money, and 52.9 percent believed children should learn how to cope with setbacks, said the Beijing-based China Youth Daily.
The survey, carried out in July, also revealed that about 73.5 percent of the surveyed did not believe that they should leave all their wealth to children, while 66 percent thought parents should train their children to earn their own living and work for their future, according to the paper.
There was nothing wrong with parents who had made a fortune, but they should set a good example in managing money, the paper quoted Xi zhonghua, an expert at China Family Education Trainer's Center as saying.
Parents should help their children realize that not a single penny was easily got, so the children should learn not to spend money like water and learn how to shape a future for themselves, added Xi.
It is becoming a consensus among Chinese parents that children should taste some pains in the process of growth, as they enjoy a better life than their parents.
Recently, cities like Zhengzhou in Central China's Henan Province have held toughening camps for students on summer holidays. The programs of these camps range from outdoor work like pulling up weeds in the fields and watering vegetable plots, to indoor labor such as washing clothes and making dumplings, the paper reported.
About 56.1 percent of the survey's 5,546 respondents believed children should not be spoilt with money, and 52.9 percent believed children should learn how to cope with setbacks, said the Beijing-based China Youth Daily.
The survey, carried out in July, also revealed that about 73.5 percent of the surveyed did not believe that they should leave all their wealth to children, while 66 percent thought parents should train their children to earn their own living and work for their future, according to the paper.
There was nothing wrong with parents who had made a fortune, but they should set a good example in managing money, the paper quoted Xi zhonghua, an expert at China Family Education Trainer's Center as saying.
Parents should help their children realize that not a single penny was easily got, so the children should learn not to spend money like water and learn how to shape a future for themselves, added Xi.
It is becoming a consensus among Chinese parents that children should taste some pains in the process of growth, as they enjoy a better life than their parents.
Recently, cities like Zhengzhou in Central China's Henan Province have held toughening camps for students on summer holidays. The programs of these camps range from outdoor work like pulling up weeds in the fields and watering vegetable plots, to indoor labor such as washing clothes and making dumplings, the paper reported.
Suicide hot line got calls from 22,000 veterans
WASHINGTON - More than 22,000 veterans have sought help from a special suicide hot line in its first year, and 1,221 suicides have been averted, the government says.
According to a recent RAND Corp. study, roughly one in five soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan displays symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, putting them at a higher risk for suicide. Researchers at Portland State University found that male veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide than men who are not veterans.
This month, a former Army medic, Joseph Dwyer, who was shown in a Military Times photograph running through a battle zone carrying an Iraqi boy, died of an accidental overdose after struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder for almost five years.
Janet Kemp, national suicide prevention coordinator for the Veterans Affairs Department, said the hot line is in place to help prevent deaths such as Dwyer's. "We just want them to know there's other options and people do care about them, and we can help them make a difference in their lives," she said in an interview.
The VA teamed up with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to launch the hot line last July after years of criticism that the VA wasn't doing enough to help wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In April, two veterans groups sued the VA, citing long delays for processing applications and other problems in treatment for veterans at risk for suicide. The department has spent US$2.9 million on the hot line thus far.
The hot line receives up to 250 calls per day - double the average number calling when it began. Kemp said callers are divided evenly between veterans from the Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam wars. Richard McKeon, public health adviser for SAMHSA, said 10 to 20 of the 1,575 calls received each week have to be rerouted to high-volume backup call centers throughout the country.
The VA estimates that every year 6,500 veterans take their own lives. The mental health director for the VA, Ira Katz, said in an e-mail last December that of the 18 veterans who commit suicide each day, four to five of them are under VA care, and 12,000 veterans under VA care are attempting suicide each year.
This month, the hot line began an advertising campaign in Washington area subway stations and buses featuring the slogan, "It takes the courage and strength of a warrior to ask for help."
The veterans hot line, which is linked to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, received 55,000 callers in its first year, including both veterans and people who are concerned about them, according to figures being released Monday. One-third of the 40 specially trained counselors are veterans themselves.
"We try to get them (callers) to talk about their situation and what they remember and see if they can identify exactly what their issues are. I think there's a comfort in knowing that they can get some help from people who do understand what combat stress is like," Kemp said.
From the call center, counselors instantly can check a veteran's medical records and then connect the caller to local VA suicide prevention coordinators for follow-up, monitoring and care at local VA medical centers. Kemp said that since the hot line started, 106 veterans have been steered to free medical care from the VA.
Kemp said the hot line was put in place specifically for those veterans who don't get enough help until it's too late. "They have indicated to us that they are in extreme danger, either they have guns in their hand or they're standing on a bridge, or they've already swallowed pills," she said. Kemp said 1,221 veterans who were in such situations were rescued during the hot line's first year.
The VA is preparing for the eventual return of a large number of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. This could put added stress on the mental health screening program for returning veterans, which could lead to a rise in undiagnosed mental health issues. The VA recently got enough money to double its suicide prevention staff and is planning to hire 212 more people soon.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day by calling 800-273-TALK (8255); veterans should press "1" after being connected.
(Agencies)
According to a recent RAND Corp. study, roughly one in five soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan displays symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, putting them at a higher risk for suicide. Researchers at Portland State University found that male veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide than men who are not veterans.
This month, a former Army medic, Joseph Dwyer, who was shown in a Military Times photograph running through a battle zone carrying an Iraqi boy, died of an accidental overdose after struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder for almost five years.
Janet Kemp, national suicide prevention coordinator for the Veterans Affairs Department, said the hot line is in place to help prevent deaths such as Dwyer's. "We just want them to know there's other options and people do care about them, and we can help them make a difference in their lives," she said in an interview.
The VA teamed up with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to launch the hot line last July after years of criticism that the VA wasn't doing enough to help wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In April, two veterans groups sued the VA, citing long delays for processing applications and other problems in treatment for veterans at risk for suicide. The department has spent US$2.9 million on the hot line thus far.
The hot line receives up to 250 calls per day - double the average number calling when it began. Kemp said callers are divided evenly between veterans from the Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam wars. Richard McKeon, public health adviser for SAMHSA, said 10 to 20 of the 1,575 calls received each week have to be rerouted to high-volume backup call centers throughout the country.
The VA estimates that every year 6,500 veterans take their own lives. The mental health director for the VA, Ira Katz, said in an e-mail last December that of the 18 veterans who commit suicide each day, four to five of them are under VA care, and 12,000 veterans under VA care are attempting suicide each year.
This month, the hot line began an advertising campaign in Washington area subway stations and buses featuring the slogan, "It takes the courage and strength of a warrior to ask for help."
The veterans hot line, which is linked to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, received 55,000 callers in its first year, including both veterans and people who are concerned about them, according to figures being released Monday. One-third of the 40 specially trained counselors are veterans themselves.
"We try to get them (callers) to talk about their situation and what they remember and see if they can identify exactly what their issues are. I think there's a comfort in knowing that they can get some help from people who do understand what combat stress is like," Kemp said.
From the call center, counselors instantly can check a veteran's medical records and then connect the caller to local VA suicide prevention coordinators for follow-up, monitoring and care at local VA medical centers. Kemp said that since the hot line started, 106 veterans have been steered to free medical care from the VA.
Kemp said the hot line was put in place specifically for those veterans who don't get enough help until it's too late. "They have indicated to us that they are in extreme danger, either they have guns in their hand or they're standing on a bridge, or they've already swallowed pills," she said. Kemp said 1,221 veterans who were in such situations were rescued during the hot line's first year.
The VA is preparing for the eventual return of a large number of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. This could put added stress on the mental health screening program for returning veterans, which could lead to a rise in undiagnosed mental health issues. The VA recently got enough money to double its suicide prevention staff and is planning to hire 212 more people soon.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day by calling 800-273-TALK (8255); veterans should press "1" after being connected.
(Agencies)
China to increase quotas for gov't sponsored overseas students
GUIYANG, July 28 (Xinhua) -- China plans to offer 20,000 overseas students scholarship in 2010, doubling that of 2007, said an official with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) on Monday.
The CSC Secretary-General Liu Jinghui made the above remarks here at an on-going China-ASEAN education exchange week activity, adding that overseas students who won the China government scholarships will find contributions toward both their living and tuition expenses.
Liu also predict that China will welcome 500,000 overseas students by 2020, including self-sponsored ones.
"China has paid great attention to education, and overseas students are also very important," said Liu, explaining that these students will help Chinese universities become more international.
He also disclosed that this year China increased the living subsidy for overseas students by almost half, with 1,400 yuan per month for an undergraduate, from last year's 800 yuan.
China offered monthly 1,700 yuan and 2,000 yuan grants for every graduate and Ph.D candidate this year.
China received more than 190,000 overseas students last year, almost five times the 1997 total. They came from 188 countries and regions, and 5.2 percent of them were offered Chinese government scholarships.
The CSC Secretary-General Liu Jinghui made the above remarks here at an on-going China-ASEAN education exchange week activity, adding that overseas students who won the China government scholarships will find contributions toward both their living and tuition expenses.
Liu also predict that China will welcome 500,000 overseas students by 2020, including self-sponsored ones.
"China has paid great attention to education, and overseas students are also very important," said Liu, explaining that these students will help Chinese universities become more international.
He also disclosed that this year China increased the living subsidy for overseas students by almost half, with 1,400 yuan per month for an undergraduate, from last year's 800 yuan.
China offered monthly 1,700 yuan and 2,000 yuan grants for every graduate and Ph.D candidate this year.
China received more than 190,000 overseas students last year, almost five times the 1997 total. They came from 188 countries and regions, and 5.2 percent of them were offered Chinese government scholarships.
China allocates 2.32 bln yuan for school reconstruction in quake zone
BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- China's government is to allocate 2.32 billion yuan (332 million U.S. dollars) from the central budget to primary and middle schools in quake-hit Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi Provinces.
The fund will be used to maintain and reconstruct school buildings, and buy teaching equipment and facilities, the Ministry of Finance announced on Monday.
A ministry statement said 1.34 billion yuan would be channeled to building reconstruction, and the remainder would fund the purchase of teaching equipment and facilities.
Government departments were asked to closely monitor the fund usage, and to ensure construction quality.
The May 12 earthquake in Sichuan Province had claimed 69,197 lives as of July 24, leaving 374,176 injured and 18,209 missing.
The government disaster relief fund had topped 61.6 billion yuan (8.93 billion U.S. dollars).
The fund will be used to maintain and reconstruct school buildings, and buy teaching equipment and facilities, the Ministry of Finance announced on Monday.
A ministry statement said 1.34 billion yuan would be channeled to building reconstruction, and the remainder would fund the purchase of teaching equipment and facilities.
Government departments were asked to closely monitor the fund usage, and to ensure construction quality.
The May 12 earthquake in Sichuan Province had claimed 69,197 lives as of July 24, leaving 374,176 injured and 18,209 missing.
The government disaster relief fund had topped 61.6 billion yuan (8.93 billion U.S. dollars).
Kung Fu tour of Beijing
BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- If you're a fan of Kung Fu or the martial arts films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, you'll find plenty of action during your stay in Beijing.
Kung Fu, the Chinese martial art that blended the skills of self-defense, hunting and military training in ancient times, has been developed into a popular international sport also called wushu.
Modern Chinese martial arts usually concentrate on forms (or taolu in Chinese), which comprise basic movements, including stances, kicks, punches, jumps, sweeps and throws, which are mainly aimed at exhibitions and competitions, and often include more acrobatic jumps and movements.
Chinese martial arts heroes and heroines have been fascinating thousands of people all over the world with their performances on stage and screen.
Beijing offers many opportunities to enjoy wushu and even to learn some tai chi.
More than 400 skilled students from Beijing Shaolin Martial Arts School are to perform Kung Fu at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games, but don't worry if you have no tickets.
Students in the school perform wushu at any time, allowing close views of forms and qigong (chi kung, practices that involve methods of accumulating, circulating and working with qi or energy within the body), two essential elements of Chinese martial arts.
You can ask your travel agency to contact the school directly if you are part of an interested group. The school will arrange special performances for a group (more than 10 people) for about 100 to 200 yuan (14 to 28 U.S. dollars) per person.
If you want to see the show alone or with two or three friends, you can also call the school for information on show times, and when you can enjoy it for free.
The school is in Huilongguan, Changping District, and the telephone number is 86-10-62715558.
"The Legend of Kung Fu", an 80-minute show playing every night in Beijing's Red Theater, tells how a small boy became a kung fu master after a series of trials. No speaking, only kung fu, dance and acrobatics. English subtitles explain the story.
The theater gives performances at 5:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The price ranges from 180 yuan (26 USD) to 680 yuan (100 USD) based on the seating. The address is 44 Xingfu Dajie, Chongwen District, and the telephone number 86-10-67142473.
The city also has the perfect places to learn kung fu every morning.
Many Chinese practise tai chi and qigong in the morning in public parks such as the Ritan Park, or the Sun Altar Park, and the Temple of Heaven, especially at weekends, and visitors are welcome to look around or even take a short course.
Fifty-one-year old Wang Xuewu who has learned and practiced taichi for more than 32 years is a regular coach in Ritan. He has hundreds of students, including dozens of foreigners.
In an area of about 100 square meters under the trees, children and adults of all ages practice tai chi together.
"I advise foreign friends to learn some basic forms when they are in China. They can keep practicing their whole lives after they get to know basic forms and movements," says 48-year-old Zhang Hongli.
Zhang started practising tai chi two years ago, and he says it has helped lower his high blood pressure.
Rong Xiaohui, another teacher, says the sport is helpful for people who suffer from heart problems, high blood pressure, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and other ailments.
He also said long-term tai chi practice helps promote physical balance, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness so it's best to start young.
Rong is planning special short-term training programs for foreign visitors in August and September, and he will hold lectures on Chinese culture and Taoist philosophy.
Enthusiastic and fast learners can finish the simplified 24 forms of tai chi within 10 days, and continue with DVD teaching programs.
The course costs 20 yuan (3 U.S. dollars) per hour, and lasts from 7:30 a.m to 10:30 a.m, Monday to Sunday. You may contact the coach in advance by e-mail (rongxhcn@yahoo.com.cn) or go direct to the site on a fine day.
"I hope I can practice tai chi with kids from other countries," says 7-year-old Yin Chang, who started six months ago. "It's full of fun."
Kung Fu, the Chinese martial art that blended the skills of self-defense, hunting and military training in ancient times, has been developed into a popular international sport also called wushu.
Modern Chinese martial arts usually concentrate on forms (or taolu in Chinese), which comprise basic movements, including stances, kicks, punches, jumps, sweeps and throws, which are mainly aimed at exhibitions and competitions, and often include more acrobatic jumps and movements.
Chinese martial arts heroes and heroines have been fascinating thousands of people all over the world with their performances on stage and screen.
Beijing offers many opportunities to enjoy wushu and even to learn some tai chi.
More than 400 skilled students from Beijing Shaolin Martial Arts School are to perform Kung Fu at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games, but don't worry if you have no tickets.
Students in the school perform wushu at any time, allowing close views of forms and qigong (chi kung, practices that involve methods of accumulating, circulating and working with qi or energy within the body), two essential elements of Chinese martial arts.
You can ask your travel agency to contact the school directly if you are part of an interested group. The school will arrange special performances for a group (more than 10 people) for about 100 to 200 yuan (14 to 28 U.S. dollars) per person.
If you want to see the show alone or with two or three friends, you can also call the school for information on show times, and when you can enjoy it for free.
The school is in Huilongguan, Changping District, and the telephone number is 86-10-62715558.
"The Legend of Kung Fu", an 80-minute show playing every night in Beijing's Red Theater, tells how a small boy became a kung fu master after a series of trials. No speaking, only kung fu, dance and acrobatics. English subtitles explain the story.
The theater gives performances at 5:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The price ranges from 180 yuan (26 USD) to 680 yuan (100 USD) based on the seating. The address is 44 Xingfu Dajie, Chongwen District, and the telephone number 86-10-67142473.
The city also has the perfect places to learn kung fu every morning.
Many Chinese practise tai chi and qigong in the morning in public parks such as the Ritan Park, or the Sun Altar Park, and the Temple of Heaven, especially at weekends, and visitors are welcome to look around or even take a short course.
Fifty-one-year old Wang Xuewu who has learned and practiced taichi for more than 32 years is a regular coach in Ritan. He has hundreds of students, including dozens of foreigners.
In an area of about 100 square meters under the trees, children and adults of all ages practice tai chi together.
"I advise foreign friends to learn some basic forms when they are in China. They can keep practicing their whole lives after they get to know basic forms and movements," says 48-year-old Zhang Hongli.
Zhang started practising tai chi two years ago, and he says it has helped lower his high blood pressure.
Rong Xiaohui, another teacher, says the sport is helpful for people who suffer from heart problems, high blood pressure, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and other ailments.
He also said long-term tai chi practice helps promote physical balance, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness so it's best to start young.
Rong is planning special short-term training programs for foreign visitors in August and September, and he will hold lectures on Chinese culture and Taoist philosophy.
Enthusiastic and fast learners can finish the simplified 24 forms of tai chi within 10 days, and continue with DVD teaching programs.
The course costs 20 yuan (3 U.S. dollars) per hour, and lasts from 7:30 a.m to 10:30 a.m, Monday to Sunday. You may contact the coach in advance by e-mail (rongxhcn@yahoo.com.cn) or go direct to the site on a fine day.
"I hope I can practice tai chi with kids from other countries," says 7-year-old Yin Chang, who started six months ago. "It's full of fun."
African singing and dancing show staged in Beijing
BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- A singing and dancing show featuring African culture was put on stage here Monday, part of the on-going Olympic cultural activities in the city.
Nearly 100 artists from South Africa, Tanzania, Mauritius, Rwanda, Senegal, Cameroun and Kenya performed the African Night show at the Great Hall of the People in the Tian'anmen Square, central Beijing.
The 90-minute performance featured the four themes of air, earth, love and friendship.
Dressed in traditional red costumes, Kenyan band "Kayamba Africa" sang an old Chinese folk song "My Chinese Heart" for quake survivors in southwest Sichuan Province.
The six-member band won thunderous applause from the audience when they finished their performance.
Juma Odemba, the band's music director, said they sympathized people in the quake-stricken region after reading media reports. They chose the song because they wanted to tell quake survivors that no matter what happened they should be strong and never give up hope.
He said Chinese are strong and they can always conquer difficulties to gain victories.
"We spent much time doing the rehearsal because we don't know a word of Chinese," he said. The band began the rehearsal as early as in January.
He said he was touched when Olympics volunteers helped him doing entry procedures at the airport.
"The strict security check at the airport and colorful banners carrying Olympic logos were very impressive. I believe Beijing is ready for the Games," he said.
Ten African kids who were studying in China performed acrobatics after being trained in Wuqiao County, Hebei Province, known as China's home of acrobatics.
The show will have one more performance Tuesday and the ticket prices range between 120 yuan (17.6 U.S. dollars) to 880 yuan.
Nearly 100 artists from South Africa, Tanzania, Mauritius, Rwanda, Senegal, Cameroun and Kenya performed the African Night show at the Great Hall of the People in the Tian'anmen Square, central Beijing.
The 90-minute performance featured the four themes of air, earth, love and friendship.
Dressed in traditional red costumes, Kenyan band "Kayamba Africa" sang an old Chinese folk song "My Chinese Heart" for quake survivors in southwest Sichuan Province.
The six-member band won thunderous applause from the audience when they finished their performance.
Juma Odemba, the band's music director, said they sympathized people in the quake-stricken region after reading media reports. They chose the song because they wanted to tell quake survivors that no matter what happened they should be strong and never give up hope.
He said Chinese are strong and they can always conquer difficulties to gain victories.
"We spent much time doing the rehearsal because we don't know a word of Chinese," he said. The band began the rehearsal as early as in January.
He said he was touched when Olympics volunteers helped him doing entry procedures at the airport.
"The strict security check at the airport and colorful banners carrying Olympic logos were very impressive. I believe Beijing is ready for the Games," he said.
Ten African kids who were studying in China performed acrobatics after being trained in Wuqiao County, Hebei Province, known as China's home of acrobatics.
The show will have one more performance Tuesday and the ticket prices range between 120 yuan (17.6 U.S. dollars) to 880 yuan.
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