Chinese most concerned about quake [File photo] 

Chinese most concerned about quake

五大风险国人最怕地震

Regional and personal problems are more severe than global challenges to many people, according to a survey issued by RSA, a British insurance company, the International Financial News reported. It showed that people worldwide are most concerned about cost-of-living increases, followed by cancer, then speeding & irresponsible drivers, with climate change following drunk driving at fifth. It was noteworthy that the Chinese respondents are most worried about earthquakes. Unsafe food comes in second; cancer takes the third, and drunk driving and unsafe water comes fourth and fifth.

据《国际金融报》报道，英国RSA保险集团发布的一份全球风险调查报告显示：全球受访者普遍认为，地区问题和个人问题比全球性风险更为严峻。其中，全球受访者最担心的是生活成本的不断增加，以下依次是癌症﹑超速/不负责任的司机﹑酒后驾驶和气候变化；而中国受访者最担心的是地震风险，其次是食品安全﹑癌症﹑酒后驾驶和不卫生的水。 

13,000 Chinese make pilgrimage to Mecca

1.3万穆斯林赴麦加朝觐 

A record 13,000 Chinese Muslims began leaving China on Monday on chartered flights for Islam's annual pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Xinhua reports. The number of Muslims making the pilgrimage from China has increased each year since the first chartered flight from Beijing to Jeddah in 1997. Last year, 12,700 people made the pilgrimage.

据新华社报道，周一，约1.3万中国穆斯林开始陆续乘坐包机，赴沙特阿拉伯圣城麦加进行一年一度的朝觐，朝觐人数创历年新高。自1997年中国信徒第一次乘坐包机从北京飞抵吉达以来，中国赴麦加的朝觐的穆斯林人数逐年增加。去年，1.27万人进行了朝觐。 

Strikes disrupt France

大罢工致法交通瘫痪

French oil workers defied the government's demand Monday to get back to work and end fuel shortages, stepping up their fight against President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan to raise the retirement age to 62, AP reports. Airlines, meanwhile, were told to drastically cut back their flights into France on Tuesday, when the next national street protests are planned, and severe disruptions to air travel, public transport, schools and other facilities are expected. Strikers have blockaded a dozen French refineries and numerous oil depots in the last week as part of the widespread protests over Sarkozy's pension reforms, which the French Senate will debate on Wednesday.

据美联社报道，周一，法国石油工人违抗政府命令，不但拒绝回去上班并恢复燃油供应，反而将罢工升级，以此对抗总统萨科奇将退休年龄延至62岁的改革法案。据悉，下一轮全国示威游行正在酝酿。届时，航空运输﹑地面交通﹑学校等场所将会受到严重干扰，各航空公司已被告知要大幅削减入法航班。为了抗议萨科奇的退休改革法案，示威者已经在过去的一周中封堵了12家炼油厂和众多油库，而法国参议院也将在明天就此法案进行辩论。

Japan offers free trips for tips

提建议就可免费游日本 

Japan is planning to recruit dozens of foreigners to visit the country and give advice on how to make things more travel-friendly for non-Japanese speaking visitors, Reuters reports. The government will pay travel allowances to about 100 native English, Chinese and Korean speakers to visit key cities and come up with ideas on how to make it easier for travelers to use public transport, stay at hotels and eat at restaurants. An official from the National Tourism Organization says one way to recruit these travelers could be over the Internet but that they would look at other methods, such as asking the relatives of foreign students studying in Japan. All expenses within Japan will be paid by branch offices of the Transport Ministry, which oversees the Tourism Agency. Part of plane fares to Japan may also be covered.

据英国路透社报道，日本拟招募一组外国人到日本免费观光，希望得到建议，让不会说日语的外国人在赴日旅游时能感觉更轻松愉快。日本政府会为100位母语是英语、汉语及韩语的外国游客埋单，希望他们能够针对大众交通工具、当地旅馆及餐厅如何让外国人觉得更方便提出建议。日本观光厅官员称，招募观察员的方式会通过网络，同时也会有其它方式，如邀请留学生的亲戚。所有在日本的花费都由日方交通部支付，旅游局监督，机票同样可获得部分补助。 

Bin Laden comfortable in Pakistan

本·拉登还活得很滋润

Osama bin Laden is alive and well and living comfortably in a house in the north-west of Pakistan protected by local people and elements of the country's intelligence services, the Daily Telegraph reports. "Nobody in al-Qaeda is living in a cave," according to an unnamed NATO official quoted by CNN. He added that Ayman al-Zawahiri, bin Laden's second in command, was also living in a house somewhere in the country's mountainous border regions.

据英国《每日电讯报》报道，奥萨马·本·拉登现藏身于巴基斯坦西北部，在当地居民和巴情报人员的保护下活得非常滋润。美国有线电视新闻网援引一名北约官员的话报道称："'基地'组织里没有人住山洞"。他还透露，本·拉登的副手艾曼·扎瓦希里也住在边界山区的一套房子里。