Six Japanese lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties viewed the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea on Sunday, ahead of a parliamentary hearing on Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara's plan for the metropolitan government to purchase the islands, now in the possessions of private owners, but China strongly opposes claiming the Diaoyu Islands has been indisputable part within its territory.

The lawmakers took part in a tour organized by a private group and local fishermen with around 120 participants on 14 boats foakleys flak jacket, including Tokyo metropolitan assembly members, officials of the city of Ishigaki, which has administrative jurisdiction over the islands, and reporters.

The lawmakers included Yoichiro Morioka from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, who serves as an executive of the House of Representatives Committee on Audit and Oversight of Administration, which has summoned Ishihara and Ishigaki Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama to appear on Monday.

The poor show by the right-wing politicians, combined with the blunt denial of Nanking Massacre and distortion of historical recount, will put sand in the wheels of Sino-Japanese relations in a year when the two countries are greeting the 40th anniversary for the normalization of bilateral ties.

Given that China has replaced the U.S. jumping to be the first trading partner of Japan, the Japanese right wingers should pause to think carefully, what is the win-win deal and what is really in the interest of the Japanese people?

Tags: Japanese Lawmakers View Diaoyu Islands

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BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Guang Meitong, a 4-year-old girl from South China, was born with a cleft palate and is autistic.

She barely talks but loves being held by visitors and resting her head on their shoulders as she clutches their clothes.

Guang was abandoned by her parents at birth. But thanks to the loving care of a US couple Oakley Hijinx Sunglasses, she has had surgery and is awaiting adoption.

Her saviors are Tim and Pam Baker. Four of their seven children have been adopted from China, with the first joining their family in 1992, four years after the couple arrived in the country.

The Bakers also co-founded the Shepherd's Field Children's Village, which has cared for more than 4,000 orphans like Guang. More than 3,000 operations and medical procedures have been carried out and 900 children have been adopted.

Construction work began on the orphanage in June 2003 and it is home to 86 children.

The compound was built and decorated in traditional Chinese style.

All the children receive education and are under the care of 100 workers, including teachers, Chinese nannies, Western doctors, volunteers and interns.

The village, in Dawangguzhuang town in Tianjin's Wuqing district, is a compound of 11 buildings, including five dormitories, a school, a workshop and a clinic.

It receives children from orphanages around country. The majority of them come from impoverished rural areas.

About 40 children are adopted annually, with most joining overseas families.

The village has a long wall covered with the handprints of orphans who were adopted.

"I want the children to remember where they come from, even though they will live abroad with their new families, speaking different languages," Tim says.

A vocational training center is under construction, which has been delayed due to funding shortages. Its completion will make the orphanage the largest of its kind on the mainland, Tim says. It will be home to 150 orphans with special needs.

The 55-year-old from Wisconsin and his wife first arrived in China to teach English in Liaoning province's Fushun in 1988. They moved to Beijing to teach at a university in 1991. They volunteered at orphanages in their spare time.

An orphanage in Guizhou's provincial capital Guiyang cared for a 5-month-old girl who was born with serious congenital heart disease and always waved at the couple.

In 1992, the couple took the 50-hour train ride to Guiyang and adopted the girl.

"We changed the lives of our adopted children, and they also have huge impacts on our lives," Tim says.

"We just realized there are still many orphans who need help and an opportunity to change their lives."

In 1995, the couple founded the Philip Hayden Foundation to raise money for China's orphans. The foundation commemorates the US teacher Philip Hayden, who worked with them in Chinese orphanages and died of a heart attack at age 28.

That year, they quit their jobs and moved to Langfang Oakley King's Camo Straight Jacket Sunglasses, Hebei province, where they planned to open an orphanage. A local businessman offered them houses to support their plan in 1999.

The undertaking was a huge challenge, especially at first. Most of the children had life-threatening problems and needed surgeries. The first orphan they received was a newborn with complicated heart defects.

"The most difficult thing at first was to believe that we could do something for the children with special needs," Tim says.

"To be honest, my wife and I were a little fearful at the beginning. Even in China, the surgeries still cost a lot of money then."

The Bakers asked for help from friends, family and supporters, who responded quickly and raised money for the baby, who was later adopted.

"Now, we still have problems and challenges," Tim says.

"But we take any child coming through our gate, because we are experienced, and, importantly, more people are joining with us to help the children."

The local government also supports their work. In 2002, it sold the orphanage land at the unbelievably low price of 1 yuan ($0.15) per mu (0.06 hectares). Shepherd's Field Children's Village received its first child in 2006.

"Compared to the early 1990s, I saw a big improvement in Chinese society to help the orphans, who need group work from society," he says.

"Now, I am happy to see more people and organizations join. China has the best adoption system - clear, straightforward and without corruption."

Supporters include international companies, local enterprises, hospitals, schools and individuals.

Operations manager Li Yan says the orphanage welcomes donations of anything the children need, such as baby formula, diapers and clothes.

"Children here need love, and you can be their uncles and aunties," Li says.

Most of the orphans are between 1 month and 6 years old. The Bakers are working to find solutions for the older children, who are less likely to be adopted.

Hou Tong, who suffers from a congenital spine curvature, has never left bed in all of his 17 years. He recently received surgery and is expected to walk in the future. Hou is also learning English from a US college intern.

The center's workshop provides a place for older orphans to learn such skills as handicraft making.

After six years in the Shepherd's Village, 22-year-old Huang Zhongyu, who lost his fingers to a fire, will work in a local bakery.

"The happiest moment for me is when I see the kids leaving with their new families," Tim, who the children call "Papa Tim", says. "But it's a little sad, too, since in my heart, they are always my kids. But I wish they can have a normal family and a new life."

Dr Bill Muddy and his wife have worked as volunteer physicians at the orphanage for seven years after closing their clinic in California.

"Given our medical background, we think we should be here to help the kids Oakley Fuel Cell Sunglasses, who deserve another opportunity in life," the 65-year-old says.

While Baker's happiest moments are to see the children leave Shepherd's Village with new families, Muddy's are to see new children arrive, he says.

"The fates of the kids were uncertain," he says. "But once they are sent in, it means they have an opportunity to survive and start a new life."

Tags: It Takes A Children's Village To Give Orphans Hope For The Future

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MOSCOW Oakley Fuel Cell Sunglasses, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The escalation of violence in Syria was fueled by external forces, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday.

Speaking at a news conference, Lavrov lambasted the "outside forces" who were supporting opposition groups in Syria for fanning internal violence and confrontation.

The Syrian government, which bore the duty of ensuring its people's safety and rights, should not be the only one to blame, Lavrov said, adding the latest round of mass killings was the result of confrontation "which is being actively fueled by outside forces."

Lavrov told reporters Russia was alarmed by the reaction of some outside forces who were "openly providing support" to the armed groups and the opposition in Syria.

He also warned the country was on the verge of a civil war. "The situation is anxious. Syria has come closely to a full-scale civil war," he said.

Commenting on Russia's stance towards the Syria crisis, Lavrov reiterated Russia's call for an international conference did not mean a change of position. If some people took Russia's initiative as a signal of a change, then "they have misunderstood our position," he said.

Lavrov said Russia would not allow the United Nations Security Council to approve military intervention in Syria, which could lead to "the gravest consequences for the entire Middle Eastern region Oakley Gascan Sunglasses," he said.

Tags: Outside Forces Fans Violence In Syria Russian FM

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The Syrian opposition's new leader said on Sunday that President Bashar al-Assad's regime was on its "last legs," even as Russia warned it would block any move at the UN to use force against its ally.

Western governments launched a push for tough new sanctions against Damascus amid an outcry over a series of massacres blamed by UN observers on pro-regime forces as troops killed at least 83 civilians on Saturday, a human rights watchdog said.

"We are entering a sensitive phase. The regime is on its last legs foakleys," Kurdish activist Abdel Basset Sayda told AFP shortly after he was named as the new leader of the opposition Syrian National Council.

"The multiplying massacres and shellings show that it is struggling," he added in allusion to a spate of mass killings of civilians, the most recent of which saw 20 people, most of them women and children, killed in the bombardment of a residential area of the southern city of Daraa on Saturday.

Sayda was elected as the SNC's new leader at a conference in Istanbul, replacing the opposition's first leader, Paris-based academic Burhan Ghalioun, who stepped down last month in the face of mounting splits that were undermining the group's credibility.

Activists accused Ghalioun of ignoring the Local Coordination Committees, which spearhead anti-government protests on the ground in Syria, and of giving the Muslim Brotherhood too big a role.

Sayda, who has lived in exile in Sweden for two decades, is seen as a consensus candidate capable of reconciling the rival factions within the SNC and of broadening its appeal among Syria's myriad of ethnic and confessional groups.

The 55-year-old does not belong to any political party and, although his name is not familiar to many Syrians, SNC officials say he is a "conciliatory" figure, "honest" and "independent".

The opposition grouping has been criticised for not representing the full diversity of Arabs, Kurds, Sunni Muslims, Alawites, Christians, Druze and other ethnic and religious groups in Syria.

Asked about his ambitions as SNC leader, Sayda said the opposition bloc "would focus its efforts on the international community to take a decisive move against the regime."

"We want to strengthen links with activists on the ground and the (rebel) Free Syrian Army, who we will support with all our means", he said.

"The Annan plan still exists but it has not been implemented," he added, in reference to a peace blueprint thrashed out by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan that was supposed to begin with a ceasefire from April 12 but which has been violated daily.

"We will work for this plan to be included under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, to force the regime to implement it and to leave all options open," he said.

Chapter VII allows for sanctions and, in extreme cases, military action. But Russia and China, infuriated by the NATO campaign in Libya last year, have vowed to oppose any military intervention.

Russia will "not sanction the use of force at the United Nations Security Council," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.

He said Moscow would be "glad" to support Assad's departure but only if Syrians themselves agreed on it.

Lavrov renewed Russian calls for an international conference on the more than 15-month-old conflict, with Syria's main regional ally Iran to be given a place at the table despite US opposition.

"We want this event to be effective," he told reporters.

"To say that Iran doesn't have a place because it is already to blame for everything and it's part of the problem and not part of the solution, this is thoughtless to say the least from the point of view of serious diplomacy."

Russia has said a conference on Syria is needed to overcome differences over how Annan's peace plan should be implemented.

Lavrov said Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States should take part alongside Syria's neighbours, Iran and the European Union and the Arab League.

Moscow wants to hold the forum "as soon as possible", Lavrov added.

His comments drew strong criticism from the SNC oakley sunglasses, which accused him of trying to "cover up the obvious and serious responsibility" of the Damascus government of "questioning the agenda of the Syrian opposition and the SNC in particular."

It said Moscow's policy poses "a major threat to the historic friendship between the Syrian and Russian peoples and to future relations between Russia and Syria's new democracy."

"We call upon the government of Russia to commit to the principles of international law to protect civilians," it added.

More than 13,500 people have been killed since the uprising against Assad's regime erupted in March last year, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Tags: Assad's Syria Regime On 'last Legs' Says Opponent

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ASABA, Nigeria, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Kidnapped Nigeria-born international soccer star Christian Obodo was on Sunday evening released by his captors in southeastern state of Delta foakleys flak jacket, according to a top security source.

The security source who declined to be named confirmed the release to Xinhua, but failed to disclose whether a ransom was paid before the Nigeria-born midfielder was freed by his captors.

"I can confirm to you that the football star has reunited with his family a few hours ago," the source said.

Abductors of the soccer star who was kidnapped in southeastern state of Delta on Saturday had initially demanded a ransom of 150, 000 euro (187,770 U.S. dollars), according to a family source.

Younger brother of the captive Kenneth Obodo told reporters on Sunday morning that the kidnappers were in touch with the family, demanding some money as a precondition for his release.

"We cannot give them more than 100,000 euros," he had told reporters, regretting the soccer star was abducted in his home town.

Also speaking to reporters, the Europe-based footballer's brother-in-law, Obidike Okechukwu confirmed the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of 150,000 euros.

But upon release, neither the soccer star's family nor security officials were willing to reveal how much the kidnappers were paid before freeing their captor.

Obodo who was in Nigeria to visit his family was driving alone in an area called Effurun in southeastern Delta State on Saturday morning when some unknown gunmen abducted him foakleys radar pitch, according to security sources.

The Nigerian midfielder played on loan at Lecce from Serie A side, Udinese.

Tags: Kidnapped Soccer Star Obodo Released In Nigeria

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BEIJING, June 10 (Xinhua) -- He Guoqiang, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), left Beijing on Sunday for official goodwill visits to Laos foakleys wind jacket, Cambodia, Malaysia and Russia.

As a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, He is invited by Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Cambodian People's Party, Cambodia's Funcinpec Party, United Malays National Organization and United Russia party.

On behalf of the Chinese government, He will also attend the 16th International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

He's entourage include several ministerial-level and vice-ministerial-level officials of the CPC and the Chinese government.

Tags: Senior CPC Official He Guoqiang Leaves For Asian European Tour

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KAMPALA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Senegal' s head coach Joseph Koto is confident his team will pick three points against Uganda on Saturday when the two teams clash in a 2014 World Cup qualifier at Namboole Stadium on the outskirts of the Ugandan capital Kampala.

Koto told Xinhua in an interview here on Friday that although they arrived late on Thursday after a tiring journey, the team is focused to pick another three points like they did in their opening game last weekend.

Senegal beat Liberia 3-1 in Dakar foakleys bottlecap, while Uganda Cranes held Angola to a 1-all draw in Luanda.

"Although we don' t know much about the Ugandan team, we are aware of a few things about them and the home crowd will not scare us. We are here for three points, but at worse we could settle for a draw," said the caretaker coach.

The star studded Senegal side will be led by Demba Cisse who plies his trade in the English Premiership with Newcastle United.

Leading striker Demba Ba is not part of the team that kept their arrival schedule secret from the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), Uganda' s football governing body.

Senegal who upset France in the 2002 World Cup have been struggling lately and also bowed out in the group stages at this year' s Africa Cup of Nations.

Meanwhile, hosts Uganda are also roaring to go and their coach Bobby Williamson believes his boys can win the game.

"Playing at home is always a comfortable territory for my team, but I am aware we are playing a good team and we shall also be at our best to win the game," said Williamson.

The good news for the Cranes is the availability of leading striker Geoffrey Massa who missed the trip to Angola because of injury and Brain Umony together with Robert Ssentongo who is the leading striker in the national Bell Lager League.

Cranes squad: Denis Onyango, Hamza Muwonge, Abel Dhaira, Simeon Masaba, Andy Mwesigwa, Denis Guma, Henry Kalungi, Edward Ssali, Joseph Owino, Johnson Bagoole, Godfrey Walusimbi, Moses Oloya, Tonny Mawejje, Martin Mutumba, Mike Sserumaga, Hassan Wasswa, Musa Mudde, Habib Kavuma, Steven Bengo, Dan Wagaluka, Patrick Ochan, Emmanuel Okwi, Geoffrey Massa, Brian Umony, Robert Ssentongo.

Senegal squad: Cheikh Gueya, Felix Djibalene foakleys commit sq, Jean Sane, Rigobert Malou, Charlemagne Mbaye, Khadim Ndiaye, Bouna Coundoul, Ousmane Mane, Papa Gueye, Abdoulaye Ba, Sergne Mbodji, Pape Ndiaye, Doudou Faty, Cheikh Mbengue, Cheikhou Kouyate, Richardo William Faty, Mohamed Diame, Remi Gomis, Idrissa Gueye, Stephene Badji, Ibrahima Balde, Sadio Mane, Papiss Demba Cisse, Dame Ndoye, Souleymane Camara, Ibrahima Toure and Moussa Konate.

Tags: Senegal Coach Optimistic Ahead Of World Cup Qualifier Against Uganda

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KAMPALA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Senegal' s head coach Joseph Koto is confident his team will pick three points against Uganda on Saturday when the two teams clash in a 2014 World Cup qualifier at Namboole Stadium on the outskirts of the Ugandan capital Kampala.

Koto told Xinhua in an interview here on Friday that although they arrived late on Thursday after a tiring journey, the team is focused to pick another three points like they did in their opening game last weekend.

Senegal beat Liberia 3-1 in Dakar foakleys bottlecap, while Uganda Cranes held Angola to a 1-all draw in Luanda.

"Although we don' t know much about the Ugandan team, we are aware of a few things about them and the home crowd will not scare us. We are here for three points, but at worse we could settle for a draw," said the caretaker coach.

The star studded Senegal side will be led by Demba Cisse who plies his trade in the English Premiership with Newcastle United.

Leading striker Demba Ba is not part of the team that kept their arrival schedule secret from the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), Uganda' s football governing body.

Senegal who upset France in the 2002 World Cup have been struggling lately and also bowed out in the group stages at this year' s Africa Cup of Nations.

Meanwhile, hosts Uganda are also roaring to go and their coach Bobby Williamson believes his boys can win the game.

"Playing at home is always a comfortable territory for my team, but I am aware we are playing a good team and we shall also be at our best to win the game," said Williamson.

The good news for the Cranes is the availability of leading striker Geoffrey Massa who missed the trip to Angola because of injury and Brain Umony together with Robert Ssentongo who is the leading striker in the national Bell Lager League.

Cranes squad: Denis Onyango, Hamza Muwonge, Abel Dhaira, Simeon Masaba, Andy Mwesigwa, Denis Guma, Henry Kalungi, Edward Ssali, Joseph Owino, Johnson Bagoole, Godfrey Walusimbi, Moses Oloya, Tonny Mawejje, Martin Mutumba, Mike Sserumaga, Hassan Wasswa, Musa Mudde, Habib Kavuma, Steven Bengo, Dan Wagaluka, Patrick Ochan, Emmanuel Okwi, Geoffrey Massa, Brian Umony, Robert Ssentongo.

Senegal squad: Cheikh Gueya, Felix Djibalene foakleys commit sq, Jean Sane, Rigobert Malou, Charlemagne Mbaye, Khadim Ndiaye, Bouna Coundoul, Ousmane Mane, Papa Gueye, Abdoulaye Ba, Sergne Mbodji, Pape Ndiaye, Doudou Faty, Cheikh Mbengue, Cheikhou Kouyate, Richardo William Faty, Mohamed Diame, Remi Gomis, Idrissa Gueye, Stephene Badji, Ibrahima Balde, Sadio Mane, Papiss Demba Cisse, Dame Ndoye, Souleymane Camara, Ibrahima Toure and Moussa Konate.

Tags: Senegal Coach Optimistic Ahead Of World Cup Qualifier Against Uganda

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Cheers, tears and screams marked the crowning of a new leader of Japanese girl pop group AKB48, who was chosen by fans in a nationwide "election" that dominated the media for weeks.

In a three-hour show broadcast live from Tokyo's hallowed Budokan, 23-year-old Yuko Oshima was selected as leader and face of the group foakleys half jacket, which has been recognized by Guinness as the world's biggest girl pop group.

"The 48 group has high aspirations, and because of that we can go far," said the teary Oshima, after the results were announced late on Wednesday.

AKB48, founded in 2005, is known for its perky routines and high "kawaii," or cuteness, quotient. All of its members are in their teens or early 20s. Every year, fans vote to determine 64 of the most popular girls out of a 237-member pool who are then rotated in and out of four main troupes and several affiliated groups according to their popularity.

The top vote winner becomes leader and gets to stand center of the group in live concerts, as well as lead dance performances. The media attention she receives usually means more endorsements and advertising.

Votes are cast by fans who fill out a ballot to determine the most popular members of the group.

In a stroke of marketing brilliance, the ballots are obtained by buying a copy of the group's latest single - this time with the title "Manatsu no Sounds Good," which mingles Japanese and English and roughly translates into "It Sounds Good in Full Summer."

Some hard-core fans will buy hundreds of CDs to give their favorite a boost. They then proceed to an internet site where they input a number contained in the CD, and cast their vote.

The song, which retailed at 1,600 yen ($20), sold more than a million copies in its first day. The group's CDs regularly top domestic charts.

Experts say the group's popularity derives at least partly from their girl-next-door quality.

"These girls start from the amateur level and are unskilled in singing and dancing. But the thing is that they grow together with the fans," said Hidetomi Tanaka foakleys zero s, a professor at Joubu University. "The narrative can be called the growth of an idol."

The "AKB" in the name is a reference to Akihabara, Tokyo's high-tech mecca for geeks, where the group has a theatre. The band's popularity is high overseas as well, with sister groups based in Jakarta, Taipei and Shanghai.

Tags: Screams As Japan Fans Choose Pop Group Leader

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