"Please set your mind at rest because China has an abundant supply of rice."

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, squashing fears that the recent 30-percent jump in international rice prices would have an impact on China's food supply, when talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Greater Mekong River Subregion Summit in Vientiane, Laos. Wen said that China has stockpiled about 40-50 million tons of rice

"I am not suggesting that more regulation is the answer, or even that more effective regulation can prevent the periods of financial market stress that seem to occur every five to 10 years."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, a 30-year Wall Street veteran, after unveiling on March 31 the most extensive overhaul of the U.S. financial regulatory system since the Great Depression

"Earth Hour shows that everyday people are prepared to pull together to find a solution to climate change. It can be done."

James Leape of WWF International, organizer of the "Earth Hour" campaign that saw up to 30 million people across the world turning off their lights for 60 minutes on March 29 to show concern for global warming

"Anyone can stay at hotels as of midnight last night, as long as they have ID and the money to pay for a room."

A night porter at the Chateau Miramar Hotel in west Havana. Cuba has lifted a ban on its nationals staying at hotels reserved exclusively for foreigners, which is the latest step to liberalize the state under new President Raul Castro, who has ended bans on Cubans buying computers, DVD players and cellular telephones

"It is a matter of considerable disappointment, it has dented national pride."

British Aviation Minister Jim Fitzpatrick, criticizing travel chaos at London Heathrow Airport's newly opened Terminal 5 after the $9-billion complex's state-of-the-art luggage-handling system failed to work as expected