Last pleas for death row Briton Akmal Shaikh

Akmal Shaikh, a British man, who was pronounced death penalty for smuggling heroin in China , is now facing execution, although the Prime minister of the UK has appealed many times to prevent him from being executed. So, his two cousins have arrived there and they are trying to deliver his plea to President Hu Jintao. However, according to the correspondent of BBC, the situation is now "very desperate". And other article from Searchina, I read in Japanese, says that about 86% people in China agree with his execution and many people associates this matter with the Opium War in 1840. Comparing with other advanced countries, I think the death penalty for smuggling drug is too severe, but unfortunately the British will have to accept the sentence, I think, because it is the row in China and British people or government cannot intervene in the affair of another country. Of course, Chinese court must make an effort to demonstrate the fact, and at least they have to start investigating again or start retrial, if there is a strong questionable point or a possibility of his being innocent. BBC article shows that 1,718 people were executed in 2007, but I think the decision of a death penalty must be made carefully.

News from BBS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8431478.stm

http://news.searchina.ne.jp/disp.cgi?y=2009&d=1225&f=national_1225_019.shtml

Michael Schumacher close to Mercedes deal, say Ferrari

The article says that Michael Schumacher , 7 time world champion of Formula One, may return to the competition, although the possibility of this information is not entirely believable. As one of the F1 fans, I will welcome his comeback because I have always been looking forward to seeing his race since this summer when he took back his decision to return because of a neck injury. He is 41 years old, but these days, there are many middle-aged athletes in the world who are continuing to succeed. Baseball is a good example. Randy Johnson, who is the present greatest pitcher in MLB, is now 46 years old. And Jamie Moyer, a pitcher who won 12 games in 2009, is 47 years old. Thanks to the resent advances of medical care and training, the career of athletes have become much longer and longer. So we can enjoy seeing them in a game or a race for a longer time, and sometimes it moves us. As for Schumacher, I will have to admire him, if he really decide to comeback because I think returning to the competition at the risk is admirable challenge as an athlete.


The News from c.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8420601.stm