Chinese vice premier urges preparations for floods, droughts

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Friday urged local governments to prepare for floods and droughts and to intensify relief work.

Hui warned of a strong possibility of severe flooding and drought this year, saying that he is "not optimistic" about the situation in terms of current prevention efforts.

Hui ordered local authorities to form a prevention plan and a team. He also told officials to gather necessary materials and closely monitor trends with regards to rain, flood, wind and drought.

They should also be ready to evacuate residents in regions vulnerable to floods, Hui said.

Furthermore, greater efforts should

Classic Leslie Cheung film to be re-released

A Chinese Ghost Story, the classic 1987 romantic fantasy starring Joey Wong and late Hong Kong entertainment legend Leslie Cheung, will see its re-release hit theaters nationwide on April 30.

Due to attend the debut screening in Beijing are director Siu-Tung Ching, who is also currently filming a new version of the cinema classic The White Snake, See-Yuen Ng, president of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, and a number of the film's stars, including Ma Wu and Siu-Ming Lau.

Wong, who now lives in Canada, however, has yet to confirm her attendance.

It was reported that the film's

E. China port city promotes sea burials

Carrying the small casket containing the cremains of her husband, Tang Qunfang traveled about 700 km by train to the eastern port city of Qingdao to bid last farewell to him.

Tang, a woman in her fifties from the northern Chinese city of Shijiazhuang, was among 2,784 people who took part in a public sea burial ceremony last weekend, which was organized by the government of Qingdao in Shandong Province.

Before that, Qingdao had been organizing public sea burials since 1991, with the cremains of 4,527 people having been scattered into the sea off the coast of the city.

Since

Modern Marvel looks beyond the multiplex

Marvel Comics, home of Spider-Man and Iron Man, can make a claim to being the No. 1 publisher in its field, often beating its rival DC Comics, famed for Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, in the total number and dollar value of comics it sells each month.

And there will be an avalanche of mass entertainment featuring Marvel characters this year, including movies based on the X-Men, Thor and Captain America.

But these opportunities arrive as the comics industry is still struggling to adapt to the 21st century, and Marvel's core business faces some of the toughest challenges in its history. While its movie business thrives, its print business is contracting, and those responsible for creating its comics are more cognizant than ever of their place within a larger corporate structure.

"If comics is sick, it's not a broken arm, it's diabetes," said Tom Spurgeon, a journalist

Detective Dee sweeps HK Film Awards

Two kung-fu movies, one a mystery epic, the other a comedy, swept the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards Sunday night, April 17, 2011.

"Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame" won six awards, including best director for Tsui Hark and best actress for Carina Lau.

Set in the Tang Dynasty, the film is based on legendary court judge Di Renjie, who is summoned by the Empress Wu Zetian to investigate a series of mysterious deaths.

 

Carina Lau and Nicholas Tse, winners of the best actress and actor awards respectively, pose backstage at the 30th Hong Kong Film

HK actor detained in Beijing for taking drugs

 

 Max Mok

Beijing police said Sunday they have detained Hong Kong actor Max Mok for allegedly taking drugs.

Police said they arrested Mok in a residential community in Beijing's downtown Chaoyang distict on April 15. No other details were disclosed.

Mok, born in 1960 in Hong Kong, has been a major film star of Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers Studio since the 1980s. He was popular for his role in Once Upon a Time in China series. In 1989, he was nominated Best Actor for the film Last Eunuch in China.

Source: China.org.cn - China news

Lakers reaffirms commitment to eliminating antigay slurs

The Los Angeles Lakers on Friday reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating antigay slurs.

"We want to reaffirm our commitment to all our fans and our appreciation for the support we receive from all segments of society," Lakers vice president of public relations John Black said.

He made the remarks after Laker guard Kobe Bryant was fined 100,000 dollars by the NBA Wednesday for directing an obscene antigay slur at referee Bennie Adams, who had just called a technical foul against him during Tuesday night's 102-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

"What happened in