Bush Offers China Cooperation on Space Project

President George W. Bush has offered Chinese President Hu Jintao greater U.S. cooperation on space exploration and planned to send the head of NASA to China later this year.

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin will probably go to China later this year to begin to consult on the subject of space exploration. 

Australia to Become 'Debt Free'

Australia's Federal Treasurer Peter Costello has proclaimed last Friday as the day the Commonwealth will become debt free.

Costello said that the Government's run of budget surpluses, combined with asset sales, will culminate in the retirement of $96 billion in debt that the Government inherited 10 years ago. But the Federal Opposition says the Treasurer's declaration is pompous and delusional. 

Reputed Mafia Boss Tight-Lipped

Reputed Mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano refused to answer prosecutors' questions, ending his first official interrogation since his arrest after eight minutes.

Three prosecutors and a police official from Palermo, Sicily, questioned Provenzano in the presence of his lawyer. Provenzano responded when asked his name and date and place of birth, then clammed up as soon as prosecutors read him his rights. 

Sandstorms Not to Dull Beijing's "Green Olympics"

Despite the frequent sandstorms that have hit Beijing this spring, the Chinese government is still optimistic that the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will be "Green Olympics".

Liu Tuo, head of the desertification prevention and treatment department under the State Forestry Administration says China will intensify afforestation efforts in and around Beijing to create a better environment for the Olympic Games. 

Zhang Ziyi Shows Better English at Chinese Film Festival in US

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi showed her better English at a press conference at the 2006 Chinese Film Festival in Washington, the United States.

At the press conference, Zhang answered the questions in English to the reporters with no translators. Zhang has evolved from a Chinese village girl in her first movie into a versatile international star with several Hollywood blockbusters under her belt.