Army phone links China and Russia

A new military hotline between Beijing and Moscow has been used for the first time, according to reports in the Chinese state media.

A senior Chinese officer discussed a range of topics with his Russian counterpart, Xinhua news agency said.
The phone link is designed for "timely communication on significant issues".
Efforts to set up a similar hotline, mainly for use during crises, between Beijing and Washington appear to have stalled, correspondents say.
In a world where emails and mobile devices mean you can always be in touch with the office, it seems strange that two of the world's most important military powers have only now started using a direct telephone link designed to make it easier for their senior officers to contact each other.

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China adjusts 2008 record trade surplus upward

hina's trade surplus is likely to hit a record 290 billion dollars in 2008 despite woes caused by the global slowdown, state press said Sunday, citing the nation's customs administration.
The figure was 10 billion dollars higher than a trade surplus estimate issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, China's economic planning agency, two weeks ago.
The General Administration of Customs said China's foreign trade in 2008 was expected to reach 2.55 trillion dollars, up 18 percent from 2007, Xinhua news agency reported.

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China-Russia Mars mission set for takeoff

The first joint Chinese-Russian mission to Mars is set to take off in October and reach the red planet in August 2010, an exploration project designer said.
A Russian Zenit rocket will launch a Chinese Yinghuo-1 satellite and a Russian Phobos-Grunt unmanned lander, Chen Changya, chief designer of the China-Russia Mars exploration project, told Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po newspaper.
Phobos-Grunt is expected to study Mars from orbit, including its atmosphere and dust storms, plasma and radiation, before landing on Phobos, one of Mars' two small moons.

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Bush Speaks Out on Gaza Crisis

For the first time since the start of the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, U.S. President George Bush has gone before television cameras to talk about the Mideast crisis.

The president stayed quiet during the first week of the Israeli military operation.

He was on a holiday break at his Texas ranch, and let his spokesman speak on his behalf.

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Evidence handed to Pakistan

India on Monday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik to the Foreign Office here to hand over “material” about Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks.
The move is part of the diplomatic offensive by New Delhi to convince the international community and Islamabad to take tangible action against the masterminds of the Mumbai attacks.
This includes briefings to all resident heads of missions within the next 24 hours while Indian Ambassadors will be doing the same in their countries of accreditation. India also shared the material during a meeting on Monday between Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and his counterpart and Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister, He Yafei.

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