Dear President Hu: China must meet its global responsibilities

Welcome to the United States. China is a great and ancient civilization, and we are thrilled that your country has made so much progress in so many areas over past decades, that it has brought hundreds of millions out of dire poverty and done so much to promote global economic growth during the recent financial crisis.
At the same time, we are both painfully aware of the rising tensions between our two countries. Many people here in the United States are critical of some of China's actions: its perceived unfair business practices through its currency valuation, subsidies to local manufacturers and weak intellectual property protections, its seeming unwillingness to address nuclear proliferation in North Korea and Iran, its support of extremely abusive regimes, its rapid and opaque military buildup, and its more aggressive posture in the South and East China Seas, to name a few.
Chinese media have been equally critical of America and the West, asserting that we are unfairly blaming China for our own economic challenges and seeking to block China's growth.
Whatever our differences, one thing is absolutely clear. No major global challenge of the 21st century can be addressed without the active collaboration of our two countries.
As much as I respect you and your country, however, forgive me for saying in the spirit of honesty and friendship that we do not believe you are doing enough to promote the global common good. It is natural and healthy for a country to pursue its narrow national interests, but when a country becomes as rich and powerful as China, it must take on new global responsibilities or it ends up, intentionally or not, undermining the international system.

I know that China still has a great deal of poverty and must continue to grow to realize the aspirations of its very talented citizens. But if China continues to rise without sufficiently supporting an international system that helps everyone, many aspects of that system will collapse and we will all be worse off.
Call it the tragedy of the commons. If an overstretched America plays a lesser role in managing world affairs and no one else steps up, we're going to have a big mess that will harm us all.
I hope you won't mind my sharing a few ideas for what you, and China, can do.
It would really go a long way if you would make a major speech at the United Nations articulating your vision of the kind of world that China would like to see in the future, and what your country is willing to do to help build it. If you think that the U.S.-led system of the last six-plus decades has worked well for everyone but needs modifications, you can articulate your concerns and express what you feel should be done to address them. If, on the other hand, you believe that the post-war system is fundamentally flawed and should be replaced, why not describe your alternate vision of how the world should work and what China is willing to do to make it happen?
Of course, I can't promise that we'll like every one of your proposals. But let's have an open, honest, global debate about what the world should look like and who should do what to help make sure the system works for everyone.
Believe me when I say that Americans welcome the rise of China. In many ways it is the ultimate positive expression of the world America helped build out of the ashes of World War II. But we will only continue to feel this way if we believe that a stronger China will make the world safer and more secure.
The more that China can do its part to help build a more balanced global economy, respect intellectual property rights, halt the spread of nuclear weapons, foster military transparency, and strengthen international institutions, the more comfortable the American people and others around the world will be with China's rise.
Working together, our two countries can make the 21st century even more prosperous and secure than the second half of the 20th century has been. Let's use your visit to start a meaningful conversation about what each of us can do, alone and together, to bring this about.

Is India's New Face Of Beauty A Goddess?

neha dalvi

 

Indian women have been well known throughout the world for their mysterious beauty.
Pretty Indian model Neha Dalvi, who is being compared with former Miss World 1994 Aishwarya RaiAishwarya Rai Bachchan, is one of India's most sought after beauties. After Nahi Dalvi’s photo spread in Saree showroom ads was released, she instantly became the one of the most sought after woman on Google. With her charming good looks and gorgeous elegance, Neha Dalvi is definitely able to win hearts of people from India and abroad.
Neha Dalvi was firstly known as a model when she was 6 years old. She later won several awards in various beauty contests in and out of Mumbai. Neha is now the favorite advertising face for a large number of cosmetics and clothing brands. She is also a talented actress of Bollywood Movies.
On her Facebook, which has more than 21000 fans, Neha's admirers shared on her page " Her beauty doesn’t need any award to prove itself. These contest can give chance to the spectators to admire Neha and also wish her may get ‘World Best Heart’ that’ll keep you happy forever. Its really not in need but just for formality ‘Best Of Luck’ for all the contests and her life". There is a brief sentence that perfectly describes her “ Neha Dalvi is very talented girl with beauty, passion, brain, confidence, attire, arrogance and attitude”

Underwater Site-Seeing

Diving on an archaeological site is one of the great thrills of a lifetime. Here are a few commonsense guidelines to make sure that both you and the site remain safe.
Choosing the right site is important--never dive on one that hasn't been opened officially to recreational divers or one that is above your skill level because of depth, visibility, or currents. Research the site and the period to which it dates, so you know what to expect, and always work with a well-established dive operator with guides who know the site well. If necessary, take advanced or specialized diving courses beforehand, which is especially important for wreck diving.
When you actually reach a site--either a wreck or an artifact scatter--dive carefully. Treat archaeological sites like coral reefs, where it is critical not to touch or remove anything or go digging around. Make sure your buoyancy and fin control are good. Also, dive tight, which means making sure your equipment, including your pressure gauge and backup regulator, don't drag beneath you, where they can cause damage or snag.
Most important, stay calm, have fun, and be sure to report anything unusual to your guide. You might actually make a discovery, and you'll definitely have great stories to tell on the surface.
Where to suit up:
Perhaps the best place to experience underwater archaeology is in one of the 13 National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS) around the country (sanctuaries.noaa.gov). Thunder Bay NMS in Lake Huron, Michigan, where shipwreck preservation is unusually good, offers a particularly rewarding experience. The 1733 Spanish Galleon Trail might be the best dive in the sanctuaries, featuring 13 ships that were grounded on reefs 80 miles south of the Florida Keys. Several sanctuaries on the West Coast are worth visiting as well. The Winfield Scott, a Gold Rush-era steamer, is in the waters of Channel Islands NMS. Over the years, the treacherous coastline at Monterey Bay NMS has caused at least 140 wrecks, some of which are diveable.

Buhari,The Nigeria Opposition Leader Confident of Victory

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Attahiru Jega displays the timetable for the 2011 general elections during a news conference in Nigeria's federal capital Abuja (File Photo).

A former Nigerian military ruler told VOA the failure of the country’s material and physical security could go a long way to undermine the stability of the populous West African nation.
Retired General Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the presidential candidate for Nigeria’s main opposition Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), said Nigerians should hold incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan to his promise of ensuring a free and fair democratic election in April’s vote.
“What we are asking for is for (a) free and fair election. Mr. President (Jonathan) promised when he went there, to the United States, he promised the president of the United States that one of his top priorities is to conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria, and we are holding him to that.”
Analyst say, despite a potential stiff challenge from the opposition, President Jonathan will win the presidential vote. Former General Buhari disagrees.
“Certainly, we can defeat the PDP. We are developing a coalition of the opposition parties to agree to go against the ruling party. What I said is that our problem is (a) free and fair election,” he said.
“If the law enforcement agencies, the police, the state security agencies and, very importantly, the Independent National Electoral Commission, that is INEC, conducted themselves according to the Electoral Act 2010, then there is no doubt the PDP will be defeated. We all know that,” added retired General Buhari.
Last Friday, Mr. Jonathan won the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) nomination after defeating former Vice President Atiku Abubakar with at least two-thirds of the total vote cast to lead the party in the April election.
Retired General Buhari, who ruled Nigeria from 1983 to 1984 under a military government, was unanimously confirmed by popular acclamation as the presidential candidate for the opposition CPC at their recent national convention.
This is Buhari’s third attempt to win the presidential election. He was defeated twice by Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 and 2007.
The former military ruler said security of the nation should be paramount.
“The problem in Nigeria now is security. There is no physical security and, then, (there is) the problem of material security. There is so much corruption and indiscipline and, then, there is lack of employment because there is no infrastructure. There is no power, in spite of the money spent, and no good roads. And, there is no portable water in all the cities of the country, in spite of what the country realized in the last 12 years,” said retired General Buhari.
He also said that he stands a better chance to defeat President Jonathan in the upcoming vote.
Nigeria will hold elections for president, parliament, and state level races in April.

Western Zambian Province Said...

The minister for Zambia’s Western Province told VOA the situation in the region is calm following Friday’s deadly clashes between police and activists, who were demanding secession because they say the Zambian government has not done enough to respect some provisions of the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.
That agreement brought Northern Rhodesia and Barotseland together as one country at independence.
Richard Mwapela, provisional minister for the Western region said said Zambia is one country, and no one group has the right to secede.
“The situation in the western province is calm; it’s back to normal. People are able to do their businesses now. The shops are open. The police have managed to bring peace to the province; they have managed to make some arrests of the people who are trying to call for secession,” he said.
Mwapela would not comment directly on the Barotse Agreement except to describe the Barotseland Freedom Movement (BFM), a youth-driven pro-secession grouping, as comprising a few troublemakers.
“As far as I am concerned, I don’t know anything about (the) Barotse Agreement. So, it’s very difficult for me to comment on the Barotse Agreement. As a provisional minister, my role is to make sure there is law and order in the provinces and the rights of the people are protected, and that’s what we are doing,” Mwapela said.
He said Zambia is one country and no one group has the right to secede.
“This is one country; this is one Zambia; there is no right for anyone to call for any secession,” Mwapela said.
Mwapela defended the killing of a man by police during Friday’s clashes.
“The person who was shot wanted to set ablaze a filling station and we were going to lose lots of live. That’s why the police had to come in quickly and get rid of that person that wanted to set ablaze a filling station,” he said.
Meanwhile, Joshua Matali, manager of Radio Lyambeai in the western province, told VOA his station remains closed after it was ordered shut by police for airing a phone-in program on the Barotse Agreement.
“We collected views from members of the public and then we aired those views and, then, when that program was running for the second time, a repeat, it was after that the commissioner of police in Zambia came there. They smashed the door and got into the studio and got our computers and camera equipment,” Matali said.
Acting Zambian Information Minister Dora Siliya banned the Zambia media from airing phone-in programs on the Barotse Agreement. She said the ban is intended to maintain peace in the country.
Matali said he and his staff are surprised by the police move considering that Zambia is supposed to a democratic country where freedom of speech and of the press should reign.
Matali said he and his staff plan to meet Monday with representatives of the Media Institute of Southern Africa who, he said, are due in the western province.

Roadside Bombs in Afghanistan Kill 15 Civilians

Afghan officials say roadside bombs have destroyed two civilian vehicles in the country's north and south, killing at least 15 people.

In the deadliest attack, nine family members were killed Sunday when a roadside bomb blast hit their car as they traveled to a wedding in the northern province of Baghlan. The dead include six women, two men and a child.

In an earlier incident Saturday, a roadside bomb blast struck a minivan in the Sangin district of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, killing six civilians and wounding three others.  Helmand is a major battleground in a campaign by NATO and Afghan forces to try to defeat a long-running insurgency by Taliban militants.

NATO said Sunday its forces killed "numerous insurgents" in an air strike in the previous 24 hours in the eastern Afghan province of Kunar. The coalition says it launched the raid after identifying the insurgents as an "imminent threat" to ground troops. 

Elsewhere, NATO says an air weapons team killed two insurgents in Helmand's Musa Qalah district as they hid inside a building and fired on an Afghan and NATO patrol.

In another incident, NATO says Afghan and coalition troops killed two insurgents and captured two others Saturday in an operation in the eastern province of Wardak. It says the troops were searching for a local Taliban leader when the militants fired on them in Wardak's Nerkh district.

NIGERIA VOTERS REGISTRATION

Large numbers of people are turning out to register to vote in Nigeria, but the registration drive is still having technical and organizational problems in its second day.
An aggressive television and radio campaign has motivated many people to come out to register, but laptop computers, cameras, and printers are reported to be malfunctioning at multiple locations.
Volunteers began signing up voters Saturday in 120,000 polling stations across Africa's most populous country. An estimated 70 million people are eligible to vote.
Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan, who will run as the ruling party's candidate in the April election, registered to vote on Saturday.
The ruling party has won every presidential election since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.
Mr. Jonathan became president in May when his predecessor, Umaru Yar'Adua, died three years into what was expected to be an eight-year presidency