Around the World: United States

Actors union ratifies deal

Leaders of the second largest US actors union ratified a tentative prime-time TV contract with Hollywood's major studios on Saturday and recommended member approval, heightening tensions with the larger Screen Actors Guild.

The National Board of Directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFTRA, which represents 70,000 actors, also warned SAG, the No 1 union, against any attempts to interfere with AFTRA's membership vote.

Astronauts finishing work

Final outfitting of the international space station's new lab, replacing an empty tank and retrieving some debris off of a solar wing rotating joint were the tasks yesterday for the final spacewalk of space shuttle Discovery's crew.

The primary task of the spacewalk for astronauts Michael Fossum and Ronald Garan Jr. was to replace an empty nitrogen gas tank, which is used to push ammonia through the station's main cooling system.

They were also set to remove insulation from wrist and elbow cameras of the robotic arm of the space station's newest room - a $1 billion Japanese lab named Kibo.

(China Daily 06/09/2008 page6)