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BEIJING (AFP) –
US President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that the United States and China want next month's climate change talks in Copenhagen to culminate in a global accord that has "immediate operational effect."

We "agreed to work toward a successful outcome in Copenhagen," Obama told journalists after talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

"Our aim there is... not a partial accord or a political declaration, but rather an accord that covers all the issues in the negotiations and one that has immediate operational effect."

"This kind of comprehensive agreement would be an important step forward in our effort to rally the world around a solution to our climate challenge," Obama said.

Obama gave no further details and a joint statement released after the two leaders spoke merely reiterated support for earlier UN goals on climate change.

On Sunday, Asia-Pacific leaders, including Obama and Hu, acknowledged it would be unrealistic to reach a legally binding agreement at the December 7-18 conference.

Ministers from 42 countries were wrapping up a meeting in the Danish capital on Tuesday, assessing a proposal by Denmark to end the deadlock.

A diplomatic source in Copenhagen said a proposed end-of-summit statement would include a pledge of "fast-track" finance -- funds to help poor countries cope with the impacts of global warming and move to lower-carbon energy.

The money could be disbursed swiftly, before a fully-fledged treaty is sealed next year, according to the Danish idea.

China and the United States are the world's No. 1 and No. 2 carbon polluters, accounting together for 37.5 percent of global emissions of the six main greenhouse gases, according to the World Resources Institute (WRI).

Their positions are key to the outcome of the Copenhagen conference, a two-year process that aims at building a post-2012 planet-wide treaty on tackling climate change.

China argues that rich nations bear historical responsibility for triggering climate change and that developing nations should not be legally bound to cut carbon emissions blamed for rising temperatures.

The United States meanwhile has called for more aggressive mitigation steps by China.

Obama said China and the United States had agreed to take significant steps to reduce carbon emissions, but gave no specifics.

"We agreed that each of us would take significant mitigation actions and stand behind these commitments," Obama said as Hu looked on.

"As the two largest consumers and producers of energy, there can be no solution to this challenge without the efforts of both China and the United States."

Hu also said the two leaders had agreed to work toward an accord in Copenhagen, while repeating Beijing's insistence on the different "responsibilities" rich and poor nations have in addressing climate change.

"We also agreed to act on the basis of common but differentiated responsibilities and consistent with our respective capabilities to work with other parties concerned to help produce positive outcomes from the Copenhagen conference," he said.

China points out that its per capita emissions, though growing fast, remain much lower than those of the United States due to its huge population of 1.3 billion people.

Hu told a September summit at the United Nations that China would reduce the intensity of its carbon emissions as a percentage of economic growth by a "notable margin" by 2020 from their 2005 levels.

Environmental group Greenpeace released a statement after the Hu-Obama talks criticising the US president for a continued "lack of leadership."

"In the lead-up to Copenhagen, Obama is still failing to address the most important issue that is causing the disagreements between the two countries at the climate talks, which is the absence of an emission reduction target from the US," said Kyle Ash, legislative director for Greenpeace USA.

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama greeted Hamid Karzai's election victory with as much admonishment as praise on Monday, pointedly advising America's partner in war he must make more serious efforts to end corruption in Afghanistan's government and prepare his nation to ultimately defend itself.
"I emphasized that this has to be a point in time in which we begin to write a new chapter," Obama said in describing his phone call to the Afghan president. When Karzai offered back assurances, Obama said he told him that "the proof is not going to be in words. It's going to be in deeds."
Obama's message of stern solidarity came as he considers sending tens of thousands more U.S. troops into the war zone in Karzai's country.
Karzai won a second term Monday when competitor Abdullah Abdullah pulled out of the Nov. 7 runoff, suggesting it would be doomed by fraud just as the first voting in August was. The handling of the first election cost Karzai in international credibility.
Yet the White House put its weight behind the legitimacy of the final outcome after helping to broker a runoff that never happened. Obama called the process "messy" but said Karzai won in accordance with Afghan law. The White House repeatedly said Abdullah had pulled out for his own political and personal reasons.
The collapse of the planned run-off increases pressure on the Obama administration to quickly end its lengthy deliberations about whether to commit more U.S. forces to a worsening war. Obama may announce his revamped war strategy, including a decision on sending more troops, early next week before a planned overseas trip.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs acknowledged that Karzai's win by default is a factor in the coming decision about troops but did not say the timetable for an announcement has changed. The administration continues to say it will happen in the "coming weeks."
In recounting his call to Karzai, Obama spent most of his time saying what he expects from his fellow president: more diligent efforts to end corruption, cooperation in accelerating the training of Afghan security forces, tangible benefits in the lives of the Afghan people.
Those aren't just Obama's standards. He is under pressure to show Congress and the public that the U.S. is dealing with a trustworthy partner, particularly if it is going to send more troops there. Many Americans have grown weary of the war and are questioning its worth.
About 68,000 U.S. troops are already in Afghanistan, where October was the deadliest month for U.S. forces. Several thousands NATO troops from various countries are also committed to a war that has stretched into its ninth year and is focused on combatting insurgents and dismantling al-Qaida terrorists.
Obama said Karzai needs to "take advantage of the international community's interest in his country."
Indeed, the White House made clear that the election gave Karzai legal legitimacy but not necessarily any new boost of credibility.
"Nobody has ever made the accusation that credibility was going to be had simply out of one election," Gibbs said.
Relieved U.S. officials said the outcome accomplished two main objectives that have been part of weeks of strategy discussion in Washington: The results yielded finality to a messy process and came only after Karzai acknowledged the illegitimacy of the original balloting.
Knowledge that Karzai would continue at the helm of the Afghan government changed little in the administration's calculus, at least in terms of pushing for reform and anti-corruption and counter-narcotics efforts, said officials who have been involved in strategy discussions. The U.S. government feels the outcome gives it continued leverage to push for reform in Karzai's political house, the officials said.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because Obama has not announced his decision on strategy and troops.
Karzai has led Afghanistan since U.S. forces invaded to oust the Taliban in 2001. He won election in 2004, and his latest victory will give him another five-year mandate.
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Associated Press writers Anne Gearan and Matthew Lee contributed to this story.

Sexy Costumes

Isadora Duncan made a great impact on dance costume today. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries she “throws off the corset, bares her limbs, and dances barefoot” (Penrod 13). Duncan began a new look, inspired by the Greeks, of tunics and scarves. This simple costume inspired a new form of dance costume and new ways of moving (Penrod 13). This imitation of the Greek clothing freed the naturally beautiful lines of the human body and movement. This change in costume extended the dancer’s space, and caused the costume to be made to conform to the curves and shapes of the body as much as possible (Art of Production 57).

Most dancers go without underwear, but if they are uncomfortable with this then they wear a thong or bikini underwear. Dancers also require a well fitting bra. Their bra should have no metal clips or hooks that could cause damage to the dancer or a partner. If their bra doesn’t provide enough support then the breast tissue can be torn away from the underlying musculature. Sports or dance bras provide enough support and allows the dancer to move with ease (Penrod 13).