"The Chinese Government once had too many favorable policies to attract foreign investment. The current policies are not so favorable as they were, which caused complaints."

Cheng Enfu, Chairman of the World Association of Political Economy, rejecting accusations of rising discrimination against foreign investment and a worsening regulation environment in China

"We believe maintaining security in the Asia-Pacific region serves China's interests, and it is also China's responsibility."

Ma Xiaotian, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, speaking at the Ninth International Institute for Strategic Studies Asian Security Summit in Singapore on June 5

"If these signs do turn out to be a sign of life, it would be doubly exciting because it would represent a second form of life independent from water-based life on Earth."

NASA astrobiologist Chris McKay, after NASA's Cassini probe discovered signs of life on Saturn's biggest moon, Titan. Organic chemicals had already been detected on Titan but the liquid is methane, not water, and scientists expect life there to be methane-based

"Climate change for us is not some future indeterminate threat. It's happening in front of our eyes. We can see it."

John Holmes, UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, warning of the possibility of "mega-disasters" as a result of increasing weather-related catastrophes before high-level talks on humanitarian aid in Australia early this month

"What Katrina, Rita, Ike and Gustav couldn't do, this oil may well accomplish."

John Hewitt, leader of oil-spill-recovery efforts at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, on the drastic effects on wildlife of the BP spill