Yellow dust storm strikes China and Korea

1. Yellow dust storm strikes China and Korea A massive sandstorm swept across China and Korea in recent days. According to news reports, skies over Beijing were tinted orange. As a result, health warnings were issued in the two countries. Residents wore glasses and masks to protect themselves. The severe sandstorm, called yellow dust storm, comes to East Asia mainly in spring. The sandstorms are occurring more frequently due to deforestation caused by a severe drought in China and Mongolia.

2. Weather experts say China's rapid industrialization also causes the expansion of desert areas. Spring sandstorms have gotten worse in recent years reaching as far away as South Korea and Japan. On March 20, South Korea was also hit hard by the strong yellow dust. The sandstorm was the worst to hit the country since it began recording dust storm data in 2003.

3. The annual spring dust storms carry harmful heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper and aluminum, from the Gobi Desert in northern China and southern Mongolia. The yellow dust storm can cause respiratory and health problems especially for infants and elderly people.

4. Kim Yu-na to promote Seoul in documentary World figure skating queen Kim Yu-na will appear in a documentary to promote Seoul around the world. Seoul Metropolitan Government said the 60-minute documentary, titled “Seoul Spirit,” will be aired by the Discovery Channel in about 20 Southeast Asian countries on March 19.

5. Using Seoul as a backdrop, the documentary will show how the 19-year-old Kim grew up to reach the top of figure skating. It will showcase a variety of tourist attractions in Seoul, including the Han River and Gwanghwamun Square. The documentary, which the city spent a year planning and producing, will also highlight “woman power” in Korea, featuring interviews with Korea’s first astronaut Yi So-yeon and popular girl group 2NE1.

6. The documentary, which the city spent a year planning and producing, will also highlight “woman power” in Korea, featuring interviews with Korea’s first astronaut Yi So-yeon and popular girl group 2NE1. Kim Yu-na became a world celebrity after she won the country’s first Olympic figure skating gold in Vancouver last month with a near-perfect record-setting performance.

7. Who is the Dalai Lama? The Dalai Lama, 75, was born fifth of 16 children to a farming family in a Tibetan village in 1935. In 1950, he was enthroned officially as the Dalai Lama at the age of 15. “Dalai” means great and “Lama” refers to Buddhist teachers. He is the 14th Dalai Lama. He became the region’s most important spiritual leader and political ruler.

8. But the Chinese army invaded Tibet in 1950 and put the region under China’s control. The Dalai Lama led an uprising against China in 1959, but the struggle failed. He then fled his homeland to India and established a government-in-exile. For half a century, the Dalai Lama has stood for nonviolence in the Tibet people’s struggle against Chinese rule. Politically he sought greater autonomy, rather than outright independence.

9. The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize was given to him for his consistent opposition to the use of violence and advocacy of peaceful solutions to problems of the world. He is not simply a religious or political leader, but is also considered a representative of human conscience.

10. S.Korea finishes 5th in medal standings South Korea finished fifth in the overall medal standings at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics that closed on March 1 (Korean time). The nation won a record 14 medals --six golds, six silvers and two bronzes --in the 17-day event. The country sent 46 athletes to compete in skating, Alpine skiing, luge and bobsleigh events as well as the biathlon.

11. The overall medal haul is the largest for the country in a Winter Olympics since it made its debut in the St. Moritz Games in 1948. Team officials told Yonhap News that South Korea’s predominance in short track speed skating suffered setbacks in the face of stiff challengers from countries like China and Canada. This time, South Korea only won two golds compared to the six it won in the 2006 Olympics in Turin.

12. They, however, said Korean athletes performed relatively well in the long track speed skating competitions by winning three golds and two silvers. South Korea also showed its prowess when powerhouse Kim Yu-na won gold in the women’s figure skating. She surprised the world by setting a new Olympic and all-time record of 228.56 points with her flawless performances.

13. In the medal count, Canada, the host country, placed first with 14 golds, seven silvers and five bronze medals. Germany and the United States followed Canada, and Norway finished fourth just ahead of South Korea. China ended the Games at seventh -- the second best among Asian countries -- and Japan came in 20th with no gold medals.