The recent earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai Province, affected the Chinese public deeply. Donations and volunteers have flown into the quake-hit area. But what are the obstacles in the rescue process? How can the country be better prepared for future disasters? The following is an interview between the Qiangguo Forum of people.com.cn (PO) and Shan Chunchang (Shan), head of the State Council expert team on emergency response, on preparing for future calamities. PO: Compared to the Wenchuan earth... Read More

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Britain's Foreign Office apologized Saturday for a memorandum by a civil servant suggesting that Pope Benedict should open a hospital abortion ward when he comes to Britain this year. The document, which was leaked to the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, also included proposals that the pope should bless a gay marriage and launch papal-branded condoms when he visits in September. The paper said the ideas, ridiculing the teachings of the Catholic Church against abortion and contraception, res... Read More

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Choking sandstorms, worsened by gale-force winds, swept through a huge swathe of the country's north and northwest regions over the weekend, leading to the closure of a major regional airport and causing deaths. Xining airport in Qinghai Province suspended all flights Sunday, including six to Yushu pre-fecture, the epicenter of a devastating earthquake almost two weeks ago, an airport spokesperson told the Xinhua News Agency. The closure temporarily severed the air transport of relief p... Read More

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Forget the famous ghost tours of Manhattan, Paris and London - Shanghai has its very own ghosts and legends, involving ancient and modern spirits, and British expat Daniel Newman conducts a nighttime walking tour of their haunts. The Shanghai Ghost Tour, in both English and Chinese, takes expats and locals on a two- to three-hour walk starting at Jing'an Temple and ending at Jing'an Park, or in a Buddhist restaurant. The tours, which began this month, focus on the Jing'an Temple area. T... Read More

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Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou Sunday outperformed his main opposition counterpart Tsai Ing-wen in a televised debate over a major trade pact with the Chinese mainland, a simultaneous opinion poll by a local newspaper indicated, marking a step further toward the prospect of signing the deal that would slash tariffs. The debate, unprecedented in Taiwan, is expected to sway public opinion toward the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) set to be signed with the mainland in June. "If w... Read More

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