Headlines

Regions reel from severe drought

A severe drought since November continued to hit several regions in the country this week, leaving at least 3.7 million people short of water and endangering crop yields of at least seven major grain-producing provinces. The situation is expected to continue as no rain has been forecast for the next ten days in the affected regions, according to meteorological agencies.

Phelps apologizes for smoking dope

Record-breaking Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps issued an apology this week after a British newspaper published a photograph purportedly showing him smoking marijuana.

"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," the winner of eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics said in a statement. Phelps has never failed a doping test, and he promised there would not be a repeat.

Toddler recovers from bird flu

A 3-year-old girl became the youngest person ever in China to recover from bird flu infection.

This is good news after the eighth case of bird flu this year was recorded earlier in the week. A 21-year-old woman from Hunan province was confirmed as having bird flu, the local health bureau said. Five people have died from the virus this year.

Iran launches 1st home-made satellite

Iran said Tuesday that it had launched a domestically made satellite into orbit for the first time, a move likely to worry Israel and Western powers further about Teheran's nuclear ambitions. The long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into orbit can also be used for launching warheads, although Iran says it has no plans to do so.

News In-depth

Premier ends EU tour with optimism

Premier Wen Jiabao was in London this week for an official visit aimed at enhancing bilateral financial cooperation.

During the three-day visit in the British capital, Wen met with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who wants to enlist Chinese support for his plans to revive the world economy. Wen has reassured European leaders that China's economy is stable and strong.

Premier Wen Jiabao sounded a note of optimism and pointed to signs of economic recovery in China, indicating there is "light at the end of the tunnel" regarding the global financial crisis. His visit to Britain was the last stop on a European regional tour.

Bereaved families pack for US

Family members of some of the Chinese tourists killed or injured in a bus accident in Arizona last week left for the United States Tuesday armed with a lawyer and a doctor.

The accident caused the death of seven people: six were Chinese nationals, including one from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the seventh was a Chinese tour guide with a US passport.

Eight other Chinese nationals were injured when the tour bus crashed just south of the Hoover Dam following a visit to the Grand Canyon, an optional trip not included in the basic tour package. Five members of the group skipped the trip.

Heavy snow causes chaos in Europe

Heavy snow disrupted air and rail travel in Europe this week, halting all flights at London's Heathrow airport and bringing traffic in the British capital almost to a standstill.

Tens of thousands of commuters were advised not to attempt the journey into work. Buses were canceled altogether and hundreds of schools were closed across the country in one of London’s worst snowfalls in almost 20 years.

International rail operator Eurostar also reported delays due to snow in Britain, France and Belgium. In France, traffic jams were recorded on roads leading into the capital, and the Paris transport authority canceled several buses.

Picture News

Google Earth dives into ocean exploration

Online search powerhouse Google launched a new service Monday, which will let Internet users to explore the depths of the world's oceans from the comfort of their homes on dry land. The "Ocean in Google Earth" feature allows users to virtually dive beneath the water surface, explore 3D underwater terrain and browse ocean-related content contributed by marine scientists.

（英语点津 Helen 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

Nancy Matos is a foreign expert at China Daily Website. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Nancy is a graduate of the Broadcast Journalism and Media program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Her journalism career in broadcast and print has taken her around the world from New York to Portugal and now Beijing. Nancy is happy to make the move to China and join the China Daily team.