Premier: clean technology a priority for Sino-German cooperation
China's Premier Wen Jiabao says that energy conservation and environmental protection is a key area for future Sino-German cooperation.
Wen Jiabao made the remarks while addressing a Sino-German business meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Guangzhou.
The Chinese premier is also calling on Germany to open its technology market to China.
Wen Jiabao also reiterated that China welcomes any investment from German companies and enterprises.

Colliery gas explosion kills 11 in southwest China
A colliery gas explosion in southwest China's Sichuan Province has killed 11 people and injured six others.
One person remains missing.
The accident took place Friday at Diaoyutai Coal Mine in Junlian county, in the city of Yibin.
The six injured workers are being treated in hospital as rescue work continues.
The cause of the accident is still being investigated.

China pledges tightened supervision to ensure food safety
China's Health Ministry has pledged to improve its supervision of the food-production process to prevent contamination.
In its annual work plan, the ministry says it will "blacklist" food with non-edible ingredients and food additives.
Health officials have published blacklists of 80 illegal food additives to stop them from being sold.
The Ministry also plans to crack down on illegal chemical additives in nutritional supplements and tackle any food-safety scandals seriously.

Public views sought for vehicle recall regulation
The Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, or China's Cabinet, has published a draft regulation on recalling defective vehicles in order to solicit public opinions.
According to the regulation, manufacturers must cease producing, selling or importing defective vehicles and recall them if problems are identified.
Manufacturers are also obliged to implement prompt solutions, such as providing repairs, exchanges and refund services.

China's electricity supplies to remain tight this year
China will face tightened supplies of electric power this year, with a shortage estimated to reach 40 million kilowatts.
The China Electricity Council warns that both regional and seasonal power shortages will occur in 2012.
The council predicated the country's electric power consumption this year will reach 514 million kilowatt-hours, that's up 9.5 percent year-on-year.
The council says China will need to improve its coal-producing capacity and increase imports to support rising demand for power-generating coal.
An estimated 85 million kilowatts of power-generating capacity will be added this year.

Renewed protests in Egypt

埃及抗议升级
Protesters have clashed with security forces in Egypt's capital Cairo for a second day, amid anger over the deaths of 74 football fans on Wednesday.
Police fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters who had gathered outside the interior ministry.
Many Egyptians blame the authorities for failing to protect fans at a stadium in the city of Port Said.

Two kidnapped American tourists freed

2名遭绑架的美国游客被释放
Two American tourists who were seized in Egypt's Sinai earlier Friday, have been released.
A local security chief says the two kidnapped American tourists have been released after talks between the kidnappers and Sinai security forces.
He didn't meet kidnapper's demands to release their relatives involved in drugs traffic but he promised to study the case immediately.

U.S. to suffer from threats of war against Iran: Iranian supreme leader

美国受到来自伊朗的战争威胁
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei is warning that the US will suffer from any war threat or potential war against the Islamic republic.
Referring to the recent military and sanction threats by Western countries over Iran's controversial nuclear program, Khamenei said that the United States and other Western countries should know that Iran also has "threats to make".
The Iranian leader says his country will not step back in the face of the Western sanctions and they will be be fired back by Iran.

U.S. economic recovery speeds up: Obama

奥巴马总统表示美国经济正处于加速恢复
U.S. President Barack Obama says U.S. economic recovery is speeding up with the labor market improving, but the nation needs to take more steps to bolster the faltering recovery.
Obama welcomes the latest job market report as good news about the economy, but he cautions that there are still too many unemployed Americans.
The U.S. unemployment rate edged down to 8.3 percent last month from 8.5 percent in Dec. 2011.

Hong Kong to adjust quota for Mainland mothers
Hong Kong is considering adjusting the quota and policies regarding pregnant Mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong.
The quota for non-local women giving birth in Hong Kong has already been cut to 35,000 for 2012
Hong Kong is discussing the issue with Mainland authorities to deter people from trying to bypass the birth-registration system.
According to statistics 41,000 of the 88,000 births in Hong Kong last year were by Mainland mothers.