French striker Bellion returns to Nice on loan

French striker David Bellion went back to one of his former clubs Nice on loan for the rest of the season on Tuesday from French ligue one sides Bordeaux.

The 28-year-old Bellion had played for Nice from 2006-2007 before moving to Bordeaux.

He had also played for English premier league sides Sunderland, Manchester United and West Ham.

Bellion, who is under contract with Bordeaux till 2014, scored 12 times in 45 appearances for Nice in his previous spell and should boost an attack that has scored only 14 goals in 19 matches this term.

Source: China.org.cn - China news

Nadal completes career Grand Slam

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Source: China.org.cn - China news

World's top 10 athletes in 2010

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Source: China.org.cn - China news

Chongqing ranks first among listed happiest cities in China

Night view of Chongqing [Xinhua File Photo]

This southwestern city has dwarfed the country's political and economic centers as the only provincial-level municipality listed among China's happiest 10 cities in 2010, China Daily reported Tuesday.

The secret recipe for its residents' happiness, the judges and survey respondents said, is its massive crackdown on organized crime coupled with locals' love of singing revolutionary-era songs.

The annual happiest cities list complied by Xinhua News Agency affiliate Oriental Outlook developed criteria based on people's feeling of happiness rather than economic achievements.

The 12 criteria include interpersonal intimacy, job opportunities, educational quality, security, traffic,

823 moved due to land subsidence

More than eight hundred residents were relocated to safe ground Sunday after land subsidence caused by excessive mining struck a county in Jiangxi Province Thursday. No casualties were reported.

} {title=A house is sealed closed in Huichang county of Ganzhou city, Jiangxi Province, Dec 26. Land near a salt mine in Ganzhou subsided on Dec 23 forcing the evacuation of 823 villagers. The local government is monitoring the incident. [Photo/Xinhua]}] 

A house is sealed closed in Huichang county of Ganzhou city, Jiangxi Province, Dec 26. Land near a salt mine in Ganzhou subsided on Dec 23 forcing the evacuation of

Mourinho denies national team duty

Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho said on Sunday that he will not become a national team manager after being refused permission to take temporary charge of his native Portugal in the autumn.

The former Inter Milan and Chelsea boss had been approached to replace Carlos Queiroz, but Real blocked the approach and Paulo Bento eventually took full-time charge of the national side.

Mourinho described the thing as his "greatest frustration of 2010".

"I believe that I will never coach a national team because it's a question of mentality, of personality," Mourinho said.

"I am a coach who works every

China exempts consumption taxes on biodiesel

China exempted consumption taxes on pure biodiesel made from waste animal fats or vegetable oils, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the State Administration of Taxation.

The new policy is effective from Jan. 1, 2009 and taxes already paid will be refunded, the MOF said in an announcement on its website Friday.

The move is aimed at boosting the renewable resources sector, easing demand for petroleum and protecting the ecological environment, the announcement said.

The move is expected to save biodiesel producers about 900 yuan (135.14 U.S. dollars) per tonne.

It is expected to make the biodiesel producers

China exempts consumption taxes on biodiesel

China exempted consumption taxes on pure biodiesel made from waste animal fats or vegetable oils, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the State Administration of Taxation.

The new policy is effective from Jan. 1, 2009 and taxes already paid will be refunded, the MOF said in an announcement on its website Friday.

The move is aimed at boosting the renewable resources sector, easing demand for petroleum and protecting the ecological environment, the announcement said.

The move is expected to save biodiesel producers about 900 yuan (135.14 U.S. dollars) per tonne.

It is expected to make the biodiesel producers

American express extends strategic partnership with China TravelSky

American Express, the world's largest business travel management company, recently signed a five-year renewal of its exclusive strategic cooperation agreement with China TravelSky Technology Limited, a unit of China TravelSky Holding, China's largest electronic air travel distribution system provider.

Under the agreement, China TravelSky will continue to be the sole service provider for American Express' Global Distribution System in mainland China.

The two companies established the partnership in 2005. China TravelSky has provided services, facilities, technologies, products and systems for American Express' companies in mainland China.

American Express says that the cooperation with China TravelSky has helped to further complete

Dan Brown takes over sequel script

Mega-selling mystery author Dan Brown has taken over writing duties on the film adaptation of "The Lost Symbol."

Columbia Pictures is developing the film version of Brown's most recent novel, which was published in 2009 and sold more than a million copies in its first day on shelves. In it, Brown's regular protagonist, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, gets mixed up with the Freemasons in Washington, D.C.

The 2006 adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code" and the 2009 version of "Angels & Demons" grossed $1.24 billion at the worldwide box office for Sony. But this is the first time Brown has

Cassano to join AC Milan

AC Milan will officially introduce Antonio Cassano on January 3, 2011 after they reached an agreement with Sampdoria to pay Real Madrid half of the 5 million euro buy-out clause, local media reported on Monday.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sampdoria will pay Madrid 2.5m euro of the clause inserted in Cassano's contract. Milan will pay the same amount.

The 28-year-old Italian will sign a three and a half year deal, netting him 2.8m euro per annum.

He will then become an official Milan player on January 3 when the transfer window reopens. Cassano is currently abroad, but he

Bayern wins, Leverkusen ties at German Bundesliga

Record champions Bayern Munich humiliated struggling Stuttgart 5-3 thanks to three goal by striker Mario Gomez while Leverkusen remained unbeaten streak to 11 matches being held to a 2-2 draw against Freiburg on Sunday.

Bayern needed some time to find into the match against crisis torn Stuttgart. The Bavarians needed 31 minutes to find the gap inside Stuttgart defense to open the scoring.

Striker Mario Gomez utilized an assist by Thomas Mueller to hammer the ball from 13 meter inside left into the roof of the net. It was the tenth goal of this season by Bayern top striker Mario

China to hold 1st national winter outdoor sports

The first National Winter Outdoor Challenge Mountaineering will be held from January 4 to 6 in Jilin Beida Lake ski resort.

The event, jointly organized by the State General Administration of Sports and Jilin local government, will attract more than 200 outdoor enthusiasts from all over the country.

"This is an emerging project in the international ski community," said Bai Kuili, director of Jilin Beida Lake Sports Tourism Economic Development Office.

"We organized the event to highlight the skiing in northern China and the characteristics of China's tourism, as well as the interesting aspects of the competition, which features not

AC Milan want to sign Cassno, says Galliani

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani confirmed on Friday that his club have started talks with Sampdoria over a deal to sign striker Antonio Cassano in the January transfer window.

Cassano is now stuck in a contract dispute with Sampdoria and his wages have been reduced by 50 per cent as a result of the row.

He is also currently suspended following his bad behavior back in October, but looks likely to leave Sampdoria next month.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said the club want Cassano as a replacement for the injured Filippo Inzaghi, although a stumbling block could be the money

Real Madrid to visit China in 2011

Spanish sports paper Diario AS reports this Friday that Real Madrid will play a pre-season friendly in China in the summer of 2011.

The paper reports that the game will be played in Beijing as part of an Asian tour that the club is organizing. Real Madrid is now attempting to secure a second game, which will either be played in China, or possibly in Japan.

The Asian trip will make up for the frustrated attempts to take Real Madrid to the Far East this summer, when a lack of time because of the World Cup finals made it impossible

Strap on the six-shooters

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Source: China.org.cn - China news

Spurs notch 20th victory of season

The San Antonio Spurs became the first NBA team to reach 20 victories this season with a 95- 78 win over Portland Monday.

George Hill scored 22 points and Manu Ginobili added 18 points to help the Spurs notch their fifth win in a row.

Wesley Matthews led the Trail Blazers with 17 points, but Portland saw a four-game winning streak end.

Spurs stalwart Tim Duncan played in his 1,000th career regular-season game but with little fanfare.

He had eight points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes. Perhaps most remarkable was his appearance late in the fourth quarter, when coach

No cheers - players need to hear in five-a-side football

The guide behind the goal plays a very important role in directing players. [China.org.cn]

Typically, fans and spectators roar at sporting events, and even a milder crowd will break into thunderous applause and cheering from time to time, but for fans watching five-a-side football there is a strict code of silence.

Five-a-side football is an adaptation of football for athletes with visual impairments, which includes blindness. The ball is equipped with a noise-making device to allow players to locate it by sound, therefore, any other noises that may disturb players are forbidden. The sport, governed by the International Blind Sports

Bayern Munich keeps star midfielder

German footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger extended his contract with Bundesliga club Bayern Munich until 2016, according to ESPN. This summer rumors had it that Schweinsteiger, 26, would be headed to Manchester United with his previous deal having been due to expire at the end of next season.

Source: China.org.cn - China news

The inaugural Asian Para Games opens in Guangzhou

} {title=The opening ceremony of the 2010 Asian Para Games is held in Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province, on the evening of December 12. [Zhao Na/China.org.cn]}]

The opening ceremony of the 2010 Asian Para Games is held in Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province, on the evening of December 12. [Zhao Na/China.org.cn]

It is a new chapter for the Paralympics movement in Asia, as the inaugural Asian Para Games opened its arms to around 2500 disabled athletes from all around the continent in Guangzhou on Sunday.

Li Keqiang, Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, declared open the games to the roaring cheers of 60,000 spectators in the Aoti Main Stadium in Guangzhou, capital of

China sets no target for gold medals in the Para Games

China, which led the medal tally with an overwhelming advantage in the just concluded 16th Asian Games, has set no goal for a specific number of gold medals in the upcoming Guangzhou Asian Para Games.

} {title=Zhao Sujing, Zhao Xuejing, chief of the Chinese delegation to the Asian Para Games[Xiang Bin/China.org.cn]}]

Zhao Sujing, Zhao Xuejing, chief of the Chinese delegation to the Asian Para Games[Xiang Bin/China.org.cn]

Zhao Sujing, chief of the Chinese delegation to the Asian Para Games, said at a press conference on December 11 that China pays more attention to the spirit reflected in the Asian Para Games

Panama Canal reopens after 17-hour suspension

Ships wait in line at the Miraflores Locks in the Panama Canal, in Panama City, Panama's capital, Dec. 8, 2010. The Panama Canal reopened on Thursday after its first 17-hour closure since the 1989 U.S. invasion, due to heavy rains. [Xinhua/Monica Rueda] 

The Panama Canal reopened on Thursday after pouring rains forced its closure for 17 hours, the Authority of the Panama Canal (ACP) said.

"The canal is now operating, the suspension was due to the strong rains in the canal basin and other parts of the country," ACP Administrator Alberto Aleman Zubieta said.

Traffic through the canal, which accounts

Ronaldinho wants to stay at Milan

Ronaldinho has expressed his desire to extend his stay at AC Milan for a long term.

As his current deal expires in June, Ronaldinho has been contacted by Liverpool and Palmeiras with a January move.

After seven consecutive bench appearances, Massimiliano Allegri afforded the Brazilian a start in their 2-0 loss against Ajax, but was left scratching his head.

However, Dinho, 30, has made it clear he wants to remain as he sends a message of hope to the club.

"I am tranquil in terms of staying," he told the press.

"It's an important season and we are top of

BASIC nations say 3 issues non-negotiable at Cancun talks

The so-called BASIC countries -- Brazil, South Africa, India and China -- said Monday that they would not support a deal until a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol had been settled, a fast-track climate change fund had been materialized and a basic agreement had been reached on technology transfer.

"We are conscious of the need for a substantive outcome, but these three things are non-negotiable," said Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, who chaired a joint press conference with his BASIC colleagues.

"The BASIC nations have been meeting in the last few days, among themselves and with regional groups," he said.

The environment ministers are part of the 25,000 government delegates attending the United Nations climate change conference here in

China is improving energy efficiency: experts

China is responding to climate change on numerous fronts, including improving its energy efficiency and adopting a "low carbon" energy strategy, Chinese environment experts said in Cancun Monday.

China is trying to improve its energy efficiency to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, said He Jiankun, vice chairman of the Tsinghua University Council and director of Low Carbon Energy Laboratory.

The energy consumption per unit of GDP has been reduced by 53 percent from 1990 to 2009, much more than the average level of 15 to 30 percent by the developed countries, He said when attending the ongoing UN

Mavericks rally for 9th straight victory

Long an offensive team that often regarded defense as an afterthought, the Dallas Mavericks have definitely altered that philosophy this season.

The Mavericks are statistical leaders in several defensive categories, and showed why in their latest victory. Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, Jason Terry had 23 and the Mavericks rallied for their ninth straight win, 105-103 over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

The Mavericks outscored Sacramento 15-4 in the final five and a half minutes to improve to 8-1 on the road and 16-4 overall. It was their seventh straight victory against Sacramento.

"That's our identity now, we hang our hat on it (defense)," Terry said. "That started two years ago and we bought into it.

Ogilvy claims Stonehaven Cup

Geoff Ogilvy has claimed his first Australian Open title after a final round of three-under at The Lakes Golf Club today.

Showing the class that has helped him to a total of eight other international career titles, Ogilvy maintained his dominance over the chasing pack to claim the Stonehaven Cup by four shots over Victorian Alistair Presnell (67) and Sydney's Matt Jones (68) who both finished at 15-under.

Ogilvy's lead never looked under threat throughout the final round of the championship with his third round lead more than enough of a buffer to hold off the chasing pack.

"Today was

EU hesitant over Kyoto extension

The European Union is still hesitating over whether to extend the Kyoto Protocol after its first commitment period expires in 2012, while environmentalists are trying to save the only global carbon reduction regime.

"We're willing to consider a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol," said Peter Wittoeck, the Belgian envoy who speaks for the EU.

"But if it is only the EU that is under such a commitment without the rest of the world (then) that would not be a solution for the global climate problem."

At the same time, non-governmental organizations on Thursday launched a "Love Kyoto" campaign

Guangzhou Para-Asian Games flame lit in 3.88s

The 2010 Guangzhou Para-Asian Games flame has taken just 3.88 seconds to be ignited by sun ray in a traditional ceremony at the China Millenium Monument on a freezing Friday morning.

 

 Guangzhou Para-Asian Games flame lit in 3.88s

The sky was so clear, contrary to the previous few days, that the flame collectors, the disabled Adilan Aierken and Guangdong swimmer Zhou Jiawei, waited for no time to light the flame out of a concave, burnished mirror.

"We are blessed," said Zhou, who won the men's 50m and 100m butterfly stroke at the just concluded 16th Asian Games, while

Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games announces theme song

The Guangzhou Asian Para Games Organising Committee (GAPGOC) held a press conference on Tuesday and announced "阳光起航" ("Yangguang Qihang", which means set sail in the sunshine) as the theme song for the Games.

 GAPGOC holds a press conference to announce the theme song of the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games.

 

The song's lyrics writer is Li Jinfeng and music composer is Guo Jingyuan.

The selection of the theme song for the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games went through three rounds. On November 22, officials and experts gathered in Guangzhou for an evaluation meeting to select the theme song

Hopes grow for Cancun summit success

Global climate negotiators gathered in the Mexican resort city Cancun hope their decisions can have a positive impact on the global environment.

The Cancun summit will be successful if parties compromise, if they make sure that in the process of getting what they want, they allow others to leave with what they need, said Christina Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Governments can reach a deal to launch action on adaptation, technology transfer, and forests, and they can create a new fund for long-term climate finance, she said.

Figueres also said the Cancun summit