'Naked Cowboy' wants to be US president
New York - The Naked Cowboy, a well-known street performer in New York's Times Square, wants to become president of the United States.

Robert John Burck, 36, plans to officially launch his candidacy at a press conference on Wednesday, he said on his website.

He has been performing in New York as the Naked Cowboy for more than 10 years, playing guitar in the middle of the city's best-loved square. The buff cowboy is not quite naked, but even in winter he wears only underpants - white briefs in multiple layers for warmth and modesty - plus a cowboy hat and boots.

Burck has registered his costume against copyright violations. When a candy store on Times Square put out an M&M chocolate candy character figure in pink underpants with a hat, boots and a guitar, he sued for infringement, forcing the parody to be removed.

Burck, who espouses conservative views, has thrown his hat in the political ring once before, declaring a run for mayor of New York before dropping out after a few months.

Donald Trump considers presidential run - 'seriously'

Los Angeles - Celebrity businessman Donald Trump says he is seriously considering running for US president in 2012.

The flamboyant property mogul and reality TV star told Fox News Tuesday that he was weighing a presidential campaign on the Republican ticket to restore global respect for America.

He didn't explain quite what the world would think about the planet's richest and most powerful country being headed by a brash real estate tycoon. But he did say that he would bring "finesse" and "common sense" to the position.

"I'm a Republican so if I did anything, I'd do it, I guess, as a Republican," Trump said. "I'm totally being serious because I can't stand what's happening to the country. First time I am being serious about it. That doesn't say I'm going to do it ... but I am seriously considering it."

Trump made the comments after Time magazine reported that an unidentified organization had commissioned a poll in New Hampshire in which Trump's prospects were surveyed. "I hear the results are amazing," said Trump, who insisted that he "did not commission or pay for the poll."

"I think my whole life has sort of been about finesse when you get right down to it. I mean it's what running a country is ... and we have to also bring common sense back," Trump said.

"We have no common sense. And we are losing this country. Mark my words, if we keep going this way, we are losing this country. It will no longer be great. It's not respected to anywhere near what it used to be."

"I love this country but it's not really great like it used to be. If we keep going like this China is going to overtake us within 10 years," Trump said. "China is ripping this country like no one has ever ripped us before."

US, China defence ministers to meet after spat

Beijing - Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie will meet his US counterpart Robert GatesChina sees the US arms sales to Taiwan as a major obstacle to its "reunification" with the island.

in Vietnam next week, China said on Wednesday, signalling a thawing of military ties frozen over the sale of US weapons to Taiwan.

"Liang will attend a meeting in Hanoi of defence chiefs from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and eight other invited countries," Guan Youfei, a foreign affairs spokesman for the Chinese Defence Ministry, said in a statement carried by state media.

Liang planned to meet Gates on the sidelines of the ASEAN security conference, which is scheduled to open Tuesday, Guan said.

The Pentagon also announced the visit and said Gates could also visit China early next year.

Chinese President Hu Jintao told two top advisors of US President Barack Obama last month that he saw "fresh progress" in bilateral relations as the two governments sought to patch up recent diplomatic strains.

China was angered in January by the US decision to proceed with the sale of 6.4 billion dollars worth of weapons to Taiwan despite objections from Beijing.

The Chinese government protested to US officials and threatened sanctions against US companies involved in the arms sales to Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a breakaway province.