China

ICAPP meeting concludes

The 2013 International Conference of Asian Political Parties Special Conference was concluded on Friday in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. Representatives of 57 political parties from 33 Asian countries, as well as observers from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, participated in three rounds of seminars. The two-day event was held under the theme "Promoting Green Development and a Beautiful Asia Together".

United States

New Yorker wins in US Bee

Indian-American Arvind Mahankali, 13, after two years of heartbreakingly close calls, conquered his nemesis - German-derived words - to triumph in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The boy from New York correctly spelled "knaidel", the word for a small mass of leavened dough, to win the competition on Thursday night. Wang Taoran, a 11-year-old girl from Beijing, failed in the competition by misspelling the word "hyetometer" which means rain gauge.

Russia

Putin headhunts economic chief

President Vladimir Putin will name Economy Minister Andrei Belousov as his chief economic adviser, sources said on Friday, tightening the Kremlin's grip on Russia's $2 trillion economy. The appointment continues a process that has seen the president surround himself with staunch allies in the Kremlin.

Afghanistan

Red Cross halts all activities

The International Committee of the Red Cross has halted all staff movement in Afghanistan and closed its office in Jalalabad that was hit by a deadly suicide and gun attack. The two-hour assault on Tuesday was the first time ICRC offices have been targeted in Afghanistan.

Lebanon

'No terror listing' for Hezbollah

Lebanon's caretaker foreign minister Adnan Mansour said on Friday that he rejects putting the Hezbollah militant group on any terror list. In an interview with Assafir daily, Mansour said that Hezbollah is an integral part of Lebanon's national and political fabric, and therefore "we adamantly reject putting the party on any terror list".

Australia

Tibet exhibition opens in Sydney

The Beauty of Tibet painting and photography exhibition opened in Sydney on Friday. The exhibition is displaying 140 paintings and 140 photos highlighting the natural landscape, culture and development of the Tibet autonomous region. Chinese Ambassador to Australia Chen Yuming said: "Tibet has made great strides since 1951 with boosting economic growth and its well-preserved cultural traditions."

China Daily-Reuters-AP-AFP-Xinhua

(China Daily 06/01/2013 page7)