## News review today:

--<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Business/ap20040607_1289.html" title="The Associated Press">Home Depot Preparing to Expand to China</a>:

<quote>Home Depot has been talking for months about the possibility of expanding beyond North America. Currently, it has 1,740 stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico.</quote>

Notice that Home Depot has no presence in Europe.  I wonder how the home improvement market will evolve in China.  In my experience the kind of home improvement for which Home Depot sells equipment is a distinctly American phenomenon.

--<a href="http://english.epochtimes.com/news/4-6-7/21843.html" title="The Epoch Times">Beijing Worried about Zhao Ziyang’s Nobel Peace Prize Nomination</a>:

<quote>[Spokesman for the Hong Kong-based <a href="http://www.hkhkhk.com/">Information Center for Human Rights & Democracy</a> Frank Lu] said, “Since 1999, Zhao has been nominated every year and this year his winning the prize is quite possible. So far, no one related to China has ever won the Nobel Peace Prize. According to past statistics and experiences, the prize is often given to a historical figure in a historical juncture. This year is the fifteenth anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre and is the best opportunity. Zhao represents the reformist forces in China and has been sympathetic to democrats. I think he has a great chance of winning this year.”</quote>

By the look of the ICHRD's <a href="http://www.hkhkhk.com/english/indexen.html" title="">English website</a>, this article could be more of a propaganda piece than a reflection of Zhao's true chances at a Nobel.  Still, this would make me very excited.  I wish I knew more about Zhao Ziyang's background.