China Daily Video News June 5

Headlines

U.S. auto giant GM declares bankruptcy

The top U.S. automaker - General Motors or GM - filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday.

The largest industrial bankruptcy ever seen in U.S. history came at a time when the United States is experiencing the worst economic recession since the Great Depression.

GM court filing will not affect its overseas operations, including the GM joint venture in China.

Sharp drop in number seeking college degree

This year only around 10 million students are registered to sit for the annual college entrance exam. It is 400,000 less than last year, the Ministry of Education said Tuesday.

Official statistics show around 6 million students will graduate into the job market this year, adding to the 1 million graduates of 2007 and 1.5 million of 2008 who still haven't found a job.

Flu tally rises to 59 on mainland

China's Ministry of Health reported one more confirmed A/H1N1 flu case Thursday. It brings the total number of infections on the Chinese mainland to 59 as of 5 pm Thursday Beijing Time. The case was from central China's Shanxi Province.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong confirmed another three cases Tuesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 26. Taiwan reported one new case, bringing the island's total to 14.

500,000 turn out as Roh laid to rest

Over 500,000 people filled streets around City Hall in Seoul Friday for the funeral of former President of South Korea Roh Moo-hyun.

Police dispatched almost 21,000 officers to quell any protests by Roh supporters who accuse conservative political opponents of driving the liberal former leader to his death with the bribery investigation.

Roh, 62, died on May 23 after throwing himself off a cliff.

News In-depth

DPRK's N-test misfires at home and abroad

Following Democratic People's Republic of Korea’s nuclear test last week, the Republic of Korea said it would join the Proliferation Security Initiatives or PSI.

Pyongyang responded by abandoning the truce signed in 1953 to end the Korean War, and threatened to attack if Seoul tried to search DPRK vessels under the PSI program.

China has not taken part in the PSI. Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang pointed out Tuesday that the program risked departing from international law.

If China joins other nations in coming down harshly on Pyongyang, he told the Washington Post, Beijing's role "will be changed from a contact man to the enemy of the DPRK".

US Treasury Secretary Geithner visits China

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner arrived in Beijing Sunday, with the agenda to persuade China to continue buying US government debt and to import more from the US, as well as seeking the Chinese help over the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Geithner spent Monday meeting with China's top economic team and chiefs of commerce, finance, banking and securities.

He also joined in an interview with China Daily. For the full content please go to our website at www.ming7.cn

China Daily celebrates 28th Birthday

China Daily shared its 28th Birthday celebration with the birth of a new photography book, which captures the nation’s journey over the past 60 years.

A grand ceremony was held Monday afternoon in Regent Hotel in Beijing.

The book consists of 362 pictures taken by 248 photographers, which present a visual and vivid history of China since the memorable date of Oct 1, 1949.

The hundreds of pictures were assembled by China Daily and published by China Wenlian Publishing Corporation to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.

A special “birthday cake” made of ice was revealed at the end of the ceremony.

Other News

Last Titanic survivor dies

The last survivor of the sinking of the Titanic has died at the age of 97.

Millvina Dean was wrapped in a sack and lowered into a lifeboat as a baby. She died where she had lived - in Southampton, England. Dean died in her sleep early on Sunday. It was the 98th anniversary of the launch of the ship that was billed as "practically unsinkable".

About the broadcaster:

Siberian-born Kristina Koveshnikova is a freelance journalist from New Zealand who has worked in print, television and film. After completing a BCS degree majoring in journalism, she won an Asia NZ Foundation/Pacific Media Centre award to work for China Daily website. Kristina previously did internships at ABC 7 News in Washington DC and TVNZ in New Zealand and has written for a number of publications, including The New Zealand Herald and East & Bays Courier.